Xenia Manasseh has placed herself within the lineage of classic R&B. Her pedigree as a collaborator with artists like Gloria Estefan and Beyoncé’s backing vocalists, the MAMAs, tells of her immersion in the genre’s traditions. Since the release of her debut EP, Fallin’ Apart, in 2019, the Kenyan singer-songwriter has been honing a sound that defies geographical and cultural boundaries.

Xenia has been on her toes, working, releasing fantastic songs, building a career as a forward-thinking R&B artist with tireless creativity. And her talent is one that hasn’t gone unappreciated. She recently appeared on COLORS shows and has been designated a Spotify RADAR Africa artist.

“Phases” is essentially a chill song that rests softly on a bed of gauzy keyboard tones and mid-tempo beats. But her lyrics are anything but weightless as Xenia shares a layout of a relationship teetering on the brink.

Per usual, she is at her most intimate. Over a sound that is soft and somnolent, her honeyed voice makes lines like, “But I’ve noticed I can never keep your focus/And I know I’m not the problem/…I’m hoping we can make it right/So I’ll never havе to choose losing you” sound sweet enough to get carried away from the confusion and pain that she’s disclosing.

Xenia Manasseh’s trenchant investigations into the ebbs and lows of love and life have positioned her at the vanguard of contemporary music. “Phases” comes as a prelude to her sophomore effort LOVE / HATE Pt. 2, which is poised to surpass the already formidable sonic and thematic groundwork laid in her debut LP, LOVE / HATE Pt. 1.