Milwaukee is typically more known for its Rap and DIY Punk music scenes, but it has a burgeoning and exciting R&B scene as well. Artists like Micah Emrich and *aya have been making waves over the last year locally and online, helping R&B start to thrive in Milwaukee. Another artist making R&B in Milwaukee who has done a lot to make the scene grow is Wynter Bates. They have been integral not only in the Milwaukee R&B world over the last couple of years, but also in the DIY music scene as well. In addition to releasing great music, Wynter has thrown many shows in Milwaukee, which have helped other talented artists showcase their abilities. After releasing various enticing covers on Soundcloud in the early 2020s, Wynter Bates started putting out original music in 2022, starting with the singles ‘cookin in the kitchen.’ In 2023, Wynter Bates dropped the highly enjoyable single ‘spinnin’,’ which is the song that put their music personally on my radar. Wynter Bates continued to drop quality music and show their range as an artist in 2024. Last year, they put out three singles, ‘fawk u’, ‘sounds of rain’ with the theboykent, and ‘Garden of Eden.’ Each of these songs has a decently different sound from each other, which shows Wynter Bates’ range. Wynter Bates seems to have the ability to make groovy and soft R&B which feels nostalgic, but also make more punchy Hip Hop-infused R&B which feels very modern. Recently, Wynter Bates released their first single of 2025, ‘Mrs. Best Mistake.’ I wanted to highlight this new track from Wynter Bates below. Please let me know in the comments how you feel about Wynter Bates’ ‘Mrs. Best Mistake,’ and also comment the names of any other independent or local artists you think I should check out!

The first thing that stands out about Wynter Bates’ ‘Mrs. Best Mistake’ compared to their other music is how upbeat and lively this track is. To this point, their music has mostly been fairly laid-back, but this one is fast-paced and energetic. ‘Mrs Best Mistake’ feels a lot more Poppy than Wynter’s other releases as well. Whereas those tracks feel more strictly Hip Hop and R&B, ‘Mrs. Best Mistake’ feels more like a funky Pop song than anything. The melody for ‘Mrs. Best Mistake’ is super groovy and trippy, feeling retro and current at the same time. The synths that drive this one have a classic Funk tone to them, but also feel super atmospheric and whimsical. The synths on this one make me feel like I am floating. The beat has a spritely modern Pop tempo and pattern that will get anyone wanting to dance when this one plays. As nice as the instrumental for ‘Mrs. Best Mistake’ is, Wynter Bates’ vocal performance is what stands out the most. I love the way the vocals are layered on this track. The main tone that Wynter sings with is pretty low and smooth. There are varying higher tones that come in and out that give the track a ton of texture. At times, it all just sounds like there are three singers harmonizing, which is cool and fun to listen to. On ‘Mrs, Best Mistake,’ Wynter is gassing themselves up and talking about trying to take someone home they might during a night out. They are trying to assure this person that it is a good idea for the two to spend the night together. ‘Mrs. Best Mistake’ is a very entertaining song that is perfect for the dance floor by its sound and lyrical tone. This is yet another high-quality cut that proves why Wynter Bates is so great to listen to and deserves to shine.