Over the last couple of years, as the Milwaukee Hip Hop scene has started to thrive and gain national notoriety, the R&B scene in Milwaukee has also started to burgeon. Milwaukee has many cool R&B artists right now who are pushing the genre in directions that are eclectic and fun; I would say that the R&B music being made in Milwaukee is just as intriguing and entertaining as any other kind of music being made here. A Milwaukee R&B artist I discovered late last year and have become very fond of is Wynter Bates. Their poignant lyricism and soothing sound make them one of the most endearing artists in the city right now. Their music is akin to artists like Solange, Syd, or SZA. Wynter Bates has not been on the scene for super long, but they are already making a significant impact. After graduating from the music school at Columbia College Chicago and working as a music instructor, Wynter Bates started putting covers online and releasing original music a couple of years ago. In 2023, they started to really make a name for themself in the Milwaukee music scene. Their single ‘spinnin’ in particular is what drew me to their music, and it ended up being one of my favorite Milwaukee tracks of the year. They have continued the positive momentum from last year into 2024, having already released two awesome singles titled ‘sounds of rain’ and ‘fawk u,’ both of which I enjoyed a lot and positively reviewed. Wynter Bates recently released their third single of the year, ‘Garden of Eden,’ which I wanted to highlight below. Please let me know in the comments what you think of this new track from Wynter Bates, and also comment the names of any other independent or Milwaukee artists you think I should check out!

‘Garden of Eden’ has a different style than the last few singles we got from Wynter Bates. Their first two singles of the year were a bit more subdued and had a bit more of a warm and retro feeling, but this one feels very fresh and dark. ‘Garden of Eden’ is a pretty punchy and energetic R&B Trap song with a melancholy and ethereal melody. The way this melody is created and put together is so cool. The melody mostly consists of very pretty layered vocals from Wynter Bates. There are some synths in the background to give the melody depth, but the majority of this melody does come from Wynter’s vocals. The beat for this track is intricate and hits pretty hard, fitting the heavy feeling of the melody nicely. Wynter Bates’ flow on this song is so unique and catchy. They also flex their range very impressively on ‘Garden of Eden.’ I love the sass in their tone on this track as well, as it leans into the already emotional feeling of the melody. The outro section of ‘Garden of Eden’ has a slightly brighter tone than the rest of the track, but still feels pretty heavy. On this track, Wynter Bates is calling out their ex for not paying them enough attention or time. You can definitely feel how dissatisfied they are with this person not only in the lyrical tone but the overall feeling of the track. ‘Garden of Eden’ is a great track that shows a slightly different side to Wynter Bates’ artistry that definitely shows their versatility and proves Milwaukee’s R&B scene is thriving.