(August 21, 2026) You can call it adult contemporary or urban adult contemporary. You can date yourself and go with grown and sexy, or just grown folks’ music. Whatever moniker you select, the business of music often dismisses artists that sing with their adult voices or write songs that address subjects like love with nuance and complexity.
Singer, songwriter, producer and music advocate Phaedra knows that many artists try to avoid the label adult contemporary like the plague. Phaedra, whose new song “Feelings” is featured in this First Listen, opts to lean in. “Adult contemporary audiences are active consumers, and always looking to consume via a live show,” she says.
“Feelings” is a song that will give the mature set a lot to consume, whether they play the studio version featured in this First Listen, or if they hear Phaedra sing it live. “Feelings” is a lush tune that features a mid-tempo bass line that serves the foundation for strings, percussion and a story of two people navigating the perils of moving away from the people they are with and toward each other.
Fans of singers who stand ten toes down and tell a story about relationships from an adult point of view are going to like this one. Check out “Feelings” the latest of Phaedra here.
By Howard Dukes
