Modern Southern Soul: Evolution, Key Artists & Today's Vibrant Scene
Pictured: King George Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Modern Southern Soul music beautifully bridges the past and the present, blending heartfelt traditions with contemporary sounds. Rooted in the deep emotional storytelling of its predecessors, this new wave of Southern Soul captures the spirit of its origins while daring to push boundaries.
One defining element of modern Southern Soul is its ability to keep the authenticity of gospel, blues, and rhythm & blues alive, all while incorporating modern production techniques and relatable themes. Artists like King George exemplify this evolution with chart-topping hits like 'Keep On Rollin'' and 'Girl You Got It.' His knack for pairing genuine lyrics with infectious melodies has established him as a driving force in the genre.
Other artists are also making waves. Tucka, known as the 'King of Swing,' has reimagined Southern Soul with tracks like the 'Jukebox Lover (Remix)' featuring King George. Meanwhile, voices like J-Wonn, with heartfelt ballads such as 'Mr. Right Now,' and Stephanie McDee, with powerful anthems like 'Let Me Take You There,' highlight the versatility of the genre. These talents merge traditional soul vocals with contemporary beats, creating music that resonates across generations.
Modern Southern Soul doesn't just honor its roots; it thrives by offering relatable stories of love, heartbreak, and resilience. Its bold fusion of vintage and fresh elements makes it accessible while still retaining the emotional depth that defines soul music. Thanks to this innovation, Southern Soul continues to thrive, cementing itself as a vital and evolving genre in today's music landscape. Scroll Down For 15 Key Tracks That Capture The Southern Soul Sound!
Modern Southern Soul: Evolution, Key Artists & Today's Vibrant Scene was originally published on myclassixatl.com
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Apollo Theater Renovation: Behind the Scenes at the Historic Harlem Venue
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Apollo Theater at 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in the night. The Apollo Theater at 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in the night. Osmany Torres Martín/Getty Like any New York City neighborhood, Harlem is in a constant state of change, wrestling with gentrification while seeking to protect its history. In among that flux has been a constant—the Apollo Theater. First opened under a different name as a vaudeville and burlesque venue which excluded African Americans, the Apollo emerged in 1934 as a place for variety revues targeted at Harlem's growing Black population. It became a cultural cornerstone, with artists including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Sammy Davis, Jr. among the early career stars to take to its stage, which has also been graced by comedians, actors and the man who would go on to be the first Black U.S. president, then-Senator Barack Obama. Now, the Apollo is about to close its doors, but just for a while, as it embarks on the next phase of a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and expansion, which leaders hope will help it last beyond what they say is a challenging time for the arts and Black history. "We have lived through periods of segregation, political unrest, the pandemic. So much of the richness of what has made the Apollo what it is, is steeped in its history and legacy," Joy Profet, chief growth officer at the Apollo, told Newsweek. That legacy will be honored in multiple ways in the coming months and years: in the physical changes and preservations about to take place at the 91-year-old theater, a recently opened performing arts venue in the former Victoria Theater next door and in a new streaming platform with hundreds of pieces of archival footage and photos from decades past. 'It Has Stood for the Best in Black Music' On Wednesday, June 4, the Apollo gave its current form a glittering send-off. Stars including rapper Busta Rhymes, actress Kym Whitley and fashion designer Dapper Dan walked the red carpet beneath the theater's brightly lit sign on Harlem's famous 125th Street for the venue's annual Spring Benefit. Many spoke of the Apollo's place as a vital cultural institution for the Black community, with Rhymes telling reporters that future generations needed to continue to have access to the venue's historic and nurturing environment. "It's not only important in this moment, but it's also necessary that they get that education so they know how to evolve the culture, the way they need to contribute to the history," the rapper said. A legend and a newcomer were among those honored during the evening, symbolizing the venue's ongoing commitment to fostering new talent and acknowledging its past. (L-R) Larry Jackson, Clive Davis and Busta Rhymes attend the 2025 Apollo Theater Spring Benefit at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria on June 04, 2025 in New York City. (L-R) Larry Jackson, Clive Davis and Busta Rhymes attend the 2025 Apollo Theater Spring Benefit at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria on June 04, 2025 in New York City. Shahar Azran/Getty Record producer Clive Davis, now 93, was given the Apollo's Legacy Award, having launched and nurtured the careers of many Black artists, from Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys to Earth, Wind & Fire. "When you think of all the artists—Stevie [Wonder], Ella, Thand the Supremes, Gladys Knight—it has stood for the best in Black music," Davis told Newsweek after being inducted into the theater's Walk of Fame. "So, it has symbolically been the real thing, it is the real thing. So, I look forward to it freshening up and resuming being the real thing." In a new award for 2025, Harlem's own Teyana Taylor, a singer, songwriter and actress, was handed the inaugural Innovator Award. "Many of the quotes say that this is where stars are born and dreams are made," Profet said. "And that's really what has kept this institution so relevant." Apollo Theater's Refurbishment and Future As the party got started at the event, there were signs of work underway, with the Apollo's lobby already walled off for construction, which fully begins in early July. While upgrades have happened piecemeal over the decades, this will be the theater's first top-to-bottom refurbishment. "The lobby, as currently built—I think it was done in the 1980s—it is fairly dated, really not up to a landmark building, which the Apollo is," Chris Cowan, principal at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, or BBB, told Newsweek. But in seeking to reflect the original 1914 building, all the team had to work with was a grainy black-and-white photo. So BBB delved into the records the theater has, while also seeking to create a space that is viable for the coming decades. The lobby will be expanded to twice its size, allowing it to be open day-round for visitors to grab a souvenir or use the new café/bar. Those new offerings will be surrounded by art deco-inspired finishes and set against a backdrop which has long been a fixture of the Apollo's entrance—a wall of fame showcasing photos of stars which have graced the stage over the years. But now it will be enhanced, Cowan said, with new digital experiences. "The history is so deep there, but we were able to bring in technology like touchscreen displays in the lobby. People will learn and be able to see the performers that made the Apollo what it is today, going back to the 1930s when the Apollo first started to allow African-American performers to perform there," Cowan said. The auditorium is where some of the biggest changes will take place. Standing at the back of the orchestra seating with Newsweek, as technicians got ready for the Spring Benefit, Profet explained that while much of the decoration in the space will remain, performances will be very different when the Apollo reopens. "A lot of those original landmarked pieces of the historic theater will be preserved, but this is an opportunity to really integrate interactivity into the experience, as well as technology, and to digitize a lot of what happens here," Profet said. While a wall filled with around 1,000 signatures of musicians, comedians and speakers—including former President Obama—will remain as it is, tucked in the wings, big technology upgrades are coming to a space designed in a time when electric lighting was relatively new and amplified sound wasn't imagined. "Right now, it's high volume. That's all they can do is blast sound," Cowan explained. "It doesn't get to all the points in the theater it needs to get to, so this is a way to really make a huge improvement for the patrons in terms of the sound, which is what people go to the Apollo for, right? It's to hear music and see shows." Seating, lighting and stage mechanics will all be upgraded, with the latter especially needed as scene changes are still manually driven with hemp rope—a practice most theaters have swapped for mechanics. For Cowan and the wider team working on the Apollo's next chapter, it is seen as "paramount" that the project enables the theater to survive. "With the loss of so many theaters on 125th Street, if you look at photographs from the 1930s and 40s it was lined with theaters like 42nd Street back in the day and they were all lost. All the grand old theaters were lost to development of various kinds, or just decay, and the Apollo, to me, it's like the last theater standing," he told Newsweek. Renderings of the foyer of The Apollo Theatre Renderings of the foyer of The Apollo Theatre Renderings courtesy of Charcoalblue, Flyleaf Creative, and Beyer Blinder Belle. 'It Extends Beyond Culture' All this work to expand and enhance the Apollo as a landmark arts venue in the heart of a historic Black neighborhood comes at a time when arts funding is in crisis. President Donald Trump recently targeted the Smithsonian Institution, which operates more than 20 museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in a recent executive order entitled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." For producer Larry Jackson, who has worked alongside Davis for over 20 years, it is vital that the Apollo remains strong. "It's a cultural church, it's a cultural mecca, it's a real sanctuary for Black culture," Jackson told Newsweek on the red carpet. "To me, maybe it's lofty and sacrilegious to say, I think the Apollo [is] on the same level as the White House. It's a landmark and a national treasure that should always remain." Profet told Newsweek she was confident in the Apollo's future, because of its past. "There were times in our history, in full transparency, where it really wasn't clear whether or not the Apollo would have survived," she said. But the Harlem and wider New York community came together, as well as city and state leaders, and those in Congress. One of the Apollo's long-time advocates was Democratic Representative Charles Rangel, who died in May. He described the theater as "like the Mecca" during an interview in 2007 and fought for its survival in the 1990s. That work is now being carried out by Harlem's current representatives at city, state and federal levels, along with community members. "We're all enthusiasts of culture, but we also recognize the unique role in the Apollo in shaping all things that have made America survive and thrive," Profet said. "It extends, in my opinion, beyond culture. It's about advocacy. It's about advocacy for humanity. It's about advocacy for the arts."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘The Ritual' Review: Exorcisms Happen, Excitement Not So Much in Drab Horror Opus With Al Pacino
Not since Paul Schrader's ill-starred 'Exorcist' entry 'Dominion' in 2004 has an exorcism-centric thriller taken itself quite so seriously as 'The Ritual.' Based on a real-life case, like director David Midell's prior 'The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain,' this more fantastical drama is a relatively restrained effort less interested in standard horror effects than the events' psychological impact on their participants. Nonetheless, its integrity and able performers only do so much to elevate a reluctant genre movie that emerges as rather dreary — not unlike 'Dominion,' albeit minus theological discussions. With Al Pacino and Dan Stevens topping the cast, XYZ Films' release should lure in some genre fans. Still, their disappointment may be salved only by the thought that this is a definite genre improvement over the abysmal 'The Exorcist: Believer' from two years ago. Midell's feature is billed as being based on 'the true story that inspired 'The Exorcist,'' though William Peter Blatty's original novel was purportedly more influenced by a 14-year-old Maryland boy's alleged demonic possession in the '40s. Here, the source is accounts of Emma Schmidt, a middle-aged midwesterner who had already been tormented by inexplicable behaviors before being turned over to Catholic authorities in 1928 for emergency spiritual intervention. Because clergy involved documented the exorcisms (which took place over four months), her travails are still considered by believers as one of the strongest proofs for occult possession being an actual thing. More from Variety Spike Lee Says Denzel Washington Deserved Oscar for 'Malcolm X' Over Al Pacino: 'It's Like Basketball, Where the Ref Blows a Call' Al Pacino Joins Bobby Moresco-Directed Biopic 'Maserati: The Brothers' Al Pacino, Katie Holmes Getty Kidnapping Drama 'Captivated' Set for Imminent Rome Shoot as Producer Andrea Iervolino Boards (EXCLUSIVE) The movie's much younger version of Schmidt — played by Abigail Cowen, who's in her late twenties and could pass for a teen — arrives at St. Joseph's as a frail, frightened and passive presence. Nuns of the convent are tasked with her basic care, while parish priest Father Joseph Steiger (Stevens) is charged with keeping a written record of whatever occurs during her stay. All of them assume that Emma's true problem is psychiatric. They see little reason to keep her in restraints as recommended by Father Theophilus Riesinger (Pacino), the visiting Capuchin friar who'll perform 'sacred rites' of exorcism. That turns out to be a big mistake. Emma herself may be a harmless victim, but whatever's got hold of her is crafty, malicious and violent. It's soon terrorizing the novices, in addition to targeting skeptic Steiger and young Sister Rose (Ashley Greene) as weak links in the circle of faith. Enough havoc is wrought that the Mother Superior (Patricia Heaton) insists Emma be moved to the institution's basement. Yet wherever its permanent residents go, and however firmly secured their troubled guest is, these servants of the church sense a mocking, evil entity running loose. There's nothing here you haven't seen before: Furniture moves around on its own, lights flicker and go out. Emma's battered body shows evidence of cruel internal warfare, while the demon also inflicts grievous harm on others who foolishly get too close. That foul being knows things it shouldn't about our protagonists, imitating voices of dead loved ones to manipulate them. Through it all, Pacino's aged friar remains stoic — he's apparently been through the likes of this before. (The real Riesinger had indeed already attempted to exorcise Schmidt once, in 1912 Wisconsin.) You might expect 85-year-old Pacino to chew scenery in this lurid supernatural context. Instead, he wisely chooses to play his Bavarian-emigre figure as a man who endures outlandish, alarming phenomena by refusing to be ruffled, maintaining a demeanor of gentle authority and humor. The normally expert Stevens appears less assured than usual, as if fearful that he might have gotten himself into some real schlock. He hasn't, but 'The Ritual' sometimes makes you wish he had. It just isn't much fun, even as it lacks the gravitas needed to make a more deeply unsetting impression, as William Friedkin famously managed with 'The Exorcist' 52 years ago. Cowen, who bears passing resemblance to Ashley Bell of 'The Last Exorcism' (that film's costar, Patrick Fabian, plays a senior cleric here), provides a touchingly pathetic presence, whenever she's not a yelling, growling special effect. But neither the afflicted party or its afflicting demon are imbued with much personality by Midell and Enrico Natale's script. There are some creepy and scary moments, yet the whole feels uninspired — this director doesn't seem terribly committed to the mechanics of horror, while the milieu and characters don't come to vivid life in a way that reinforces 'Ritual's' stance as more of a strange-but-supposedly-true docudrama. Once the end credits roll, we're left with the odd sensation of still waiting for some cathartic climax. The Mississippi-shot production's physical modesty is apt enough for story purposes, though you might wish for a smidge more assertive style from Adam Biddle's cinematography and other craft departments. 'The Ritual' merits some appreciation for not being merely another cheesy exploitation of familiar themes. But that doesn't redeem the fact that, in the end, it's a bit of an earnest slog — an exorcism movie more tame than bedeviled. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Atlantic
6 hours ago
- Atlantic
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Barbara Gindl / APA; AFP; Getty A float with a whale sculpture titled Schlau Wal ('Smart Whale'), made of daffodil flowers, on the water during the daffodil festival Narzissenfest, in Altaussee, Austria, on June 1, 2025. Hannah Mundin, a colorist at Madame Tussauds London, looks toward the Greggs sausage-roll figure as it is unveiled at the waxwork attraction in London, on June 4, 2025, ahead of National Sausage Roll Day, on June 5. Alan Taylor is a senior editor at The Atlantic.
