Complex Sessions 031: Nadia Jae

You may have heard Nadia Jae on your radio (especially if you're a BBC Radio 1Xtra listener), seen her displaying her skills on the decks at Boxpark, or heard of her own platform CR&B Online, but all of these have helped the rising selector to carve out a lane for herself as an R&B queen, relentlessly championing the genre and helping to put on British talent. It only seemed right then that with her ear to the ground, and her finger on the pulse — in terms of what's hot, what's not, and who we should be listening to — that we enlisted the well-loved DJ to create a UK R&B mix filled with well-known classics but also some slept-on gems, all for your listening pleasure.

Press play on the mix and get to know Nadia Jae, below. Catch her on BBC Radio 1Xtra every Wednesday night at 11pm, or you can catch up here.

Tell us a bit about your selections in this mix.

The most exciting thing about the tracks is that they are all UK artists. I feel like a proud music mum! [Laughs] It's a range of contemporary R&B to neo-soul and some very underrated artists, in my opinion. It also features some top 10 hits and a nice mix of old-school R&B, which I thoroughly enjoyed adding.

What was the one track you absolutely had to include?

New-school wise, Angel, and old-school I had to include Nathan. But by good force, Ella Mai had to be there but I chose "Trip" over "Boo'd Up".

Any tracks that narrowly missed the cut?

More artists than tracks but I missed Benji Flow, Sam Tompkins, Abel Miller, Jacob Banks, JGrrey, Vonne, Jordan King, Dolapo, Mike Hough, Estelle, Jamelia, Taliwhoah. I went over my time limit! Oh, and our golden girls Floetry — although I did include Marsha Ambrosius.

What's the first single or album you ever bought?

KP & Envyi's "Shorty Swing My Way". I used to bang out the R&B version! Figures [laughs]. I think my first album was Dru Hill's Enter The Dru.

What's the last physical record you bought?

Skepta's album, Konnichiwa. For the culture!

What do you want to see happen musically over the next 12 months?

I want for the UK singers to get some serious money doing what they love. More R&B events are happening, tastemakers, concerts, etc. I want UK R&B to be as fruitful as UK rap this year. It would be a great win.

What trend or scene absolutely needs to die right now?

Clout! It's enough now... Give me substance and sustainability any day! I can't get rich off of clout.

Tracklist

1. Mark Asari - '90s R&B Freestyle
2. Gabriella Vixen - Old Mistake
3. Angel - Nothing Wrong
4. Bobii Lewis - Save Me
5. Jamilah - Insta
6. Ray BLK - Mama
7. Amun - Not Everything
8. Vanessa White - Nostalgia
9. Ella Mai - Trip
10. Jaz Karis - Pretty Dreamer
11. Shae - Melanin
12. Tiana Major 9 - Merry Go
13. Jorja Smith - February 3rd
14. Kadeem Tyrell - Let Me Know
15. Paige Lihya - So Good
16. Sinead Harnett - Lessons
17. Samm Henshaw - Church
18. BXRBER - Worship
19. Lylo Gold - Over U
20. Sasha Keable - ThatsTheSh*t
21. Rebecca Garton - Feel Alive
22. Mahalia - WIMME
23. Rukhsana Merrise - Come My Way
24. Cherri V - For Me
25. Rachel Foxx - Mistress
26. WSTRN - Ben Ova
27. Kamille - Emotional
28. Ocean China - Feng Shui
29. Ricardo Williams ft Lioness - He Ain't Me
30. Mic Lowry- Can't Lie
31. Ashton Russell - Perfect Strangers
32. Nao - Another Lifetime
33. Sampl ft Geovarn & Monique - Ooh Yeh
34. Loick Essien - Alaina's Freestyle
35. Jvck James - Easy
36. Lynden David Hall - Sexy Cinderella
37. Marsha Ambrosius - Hope She Cheats On You With A Basketball Player
38. Amy Winehouse - Stronger Than Me
39. Kele Le Roc - Little Bit Of Lovin
40. Nathan - Do Without My Love
41. Lamar - 50/50
42. Terri Walker - I'll Be Loving You Still (Ching, Ching)
43. Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack
44. Shola Ama - Your The One I Love
45. Taio Cruz - Like A Star
46. Ms. Dynamite - It Takes More
47. Lisa Maffia - All Over
48. Damage - Ghetto Romance
49. Craig David - Can't Be Messing Around
50. Fund*mental - Playground