Dawn Richard Speaks on the Reality of R&B in Today’s Industry: “Nobody Supports Me When I Make R&B Music”

Dawn Richard is speaking out about the current state of R&B and why so many artists lean into pop music instead.

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During a recent Instagram Live, the former Danity Kane member explained that while fans constantly ask for “real R&B,” the support often doesn’t translate into streams, sales, or chart success.

Dawn shared during the live.

“You guys ask for R&B but don’t buy the albums”

Dawn Angelique Richard spoke a fucking word. Her IG Live yesterday was very enlightening and insightful. This is why I have no issue with Tinashe, Ciara or Kelly Rowland being full fledged pop girls. Dawn said it:

“You guys ask for R&B but don’t buy the albums”

Thank God Dawn… pic.twitter.com/YvA6BfPPEg

— ERIC LAMONT (@BlameEricLamont) May 10, 2026

The singer revealed that some of her lowest-performing records are the ones that dive heavily into R&B, which is why she now experiments with multiple sounds on her projects, including EDM, folk-inspired music, and pop influences.

As someone who has experienced the music industry from the inside, Dawn kept it real about the business side of music, saying that if a move doesn’t benefit her career in the long term, she’s not doing it.

The recent R&B releases from artists like Chris Brown and Kehlani have received mixed reactions despite delivering solid R&B projects.

Her comments have opened the floodgates online, with fans debating whether they truly support R&B artists the way they claim to, or whether the genre is struggling to compete in today’s mainstream music landscape.