From the 2024 upload of the snippet “Florida Baby” on TikTok with over 25 million streams on Spotify to the present international tour with his new album “LVRS PARADISE (SIDE A),” Isaiah Falls stands out as a current voice in R&B.

The Floridian artist credits and boasts his influences to his family’s musical background, with R&B and Hip Hop being his father’s most played genres among the others. 

“I had [Michael Jackson] and Miguel, and all the different types of music in my household,” Falls said. 

Falls’ music flows alongside the current wave of Trap & B artists, and takes notes from the upbeat falsettos of Justin Timberlake, and the Southern rap brand of the OutKast duo, Ludacris, and Nelly during the peak of the late ‘90s, early 2000s era of R&B and Hip Hop. The artist’s go-to list of musicians not only resonates with fans of this era of music, it also features two-thirds of the “big three” rappers, Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

“Drake and Kendrick were big at that time when I was growing up.” Falls later said, “I like to consider myself the R&B Kendrick in some ways, because of how I like to manipulate my voice, and how I approach my layers, my stacks, and stuff like that.”

Falls’ diet of revered, Southern artists inspired intentions to represent his own region that isn’t often regarded as a hub where famous R&B musicians are made. The Florida artist includes in his sound a range of mixed elements from nearby developed music, like the New Orleans bounce, melodic Trap, uptempo night club music, and Latin and Caribbean fusion.     

“Really putting on for the South is a big thing for me. I recently spoke with Big Boi [the Atlanta duo, OutKast], and he was just like, “you’re repping for the South exactly how you are supposed to,” said Falls. “It’s part of how we pushing the genre. I think it’s time to bring the South’s regional R&B back, or just our regional sound in general.” Falls continued, “I’m excited to stamp that.”

The R&B music genre has moved closer into niche territory in comparison to its previous decades of domination. While some may observe it as a dead genre, it often exists in fusions that have gradually made it less distinct since its emulsification with Hip Hop genres.

“It’s not as mainstream as it should be, which is okay. It’s not meant to be. It’s meant to last the test of time,” said Falls. “When trends go, and die out, R&B will forever be here. I think there’s nothing to worry about.”

Falls’ plans to publicize his art eventually followed trends that dodged the old game of chasing a traditional label with music samples, and starting a music career free of creative limitations. The indie label’s ascension to legitimacy had the help of music streaming services like Spotify for which they’ve collected 50% of streaming revenue alongside major labels in 2023. Indie and community labels continue to rise in the global market share at 40% as of 2024.

“Labels are kinda outdated, or how you utilize them is outdated. The old way of signing everything away to them is like an old way of thinking.” 

Falls continued, “whatever I wanna drop, I drop, and when I wanna drop, I drop—taking that power away from an artist could be super impactful to their career and how things work.”

Creatives who prefer creative control do not stand out in any arts industry, nor is the desire for a do-it-yourself label that unique, but working every stage in the process of producing a record isn’t commonplace with every musician. The growing crowd of those building a label for reasons like production freedom comes with roles artists from major labels may have less of a hand in.  

“As an artist, I’m very, very hands on when it comes to my music.” Falls continued, “I like to be in the process of recording myself when we’re making the beat, when we’re finishing the beat, when we’re doing the transitions, when we’re mixing the vocals. I’m a part of every aspect of it, all the way to the graphic design and creative direction for the videos.”

Team Falls and Luxury Lane are responsible for producing the 12 track EP, Drug and Lullabies, released in July of 2024. Music publications and social media commentary swelled with praising reviews that began with Falls’ initial TikTok upload and debut snippet, “Florida Baby,” released earlier in 2024. Falls’ intention for the Spotify streaming hit of over 25 million was that it became an anthem for women in his Florida community. 

“I think when I was making it, I just understood that there was a space where Florida didn’t have an anthem for the ladies.” Falls later said, “It was such a pretty song, and the lyrics just hit home so well.” 

The Floridian continued to lean on similar inspirations for his 2025 album, LVRS PARADISE (SIDE A), explicable in well-liked songs like “Butterflies” and “Trick Daddy.” Falls illustrated the development of his popular song ideas to a whim, or capturing a moment in his day.    

“Whether it’s a conversation with a friend; whether it’s me staring off in the distance and daydreaming.” He said, “I just know someone passing by can give me an entire song.”

Falls’ plans for his incoming releases, SIDE B of LVRS PARADISE and prospective albums, to be implemented with decades-old musical references added to the sunshine state’s sound. The lost sound from his music mentors, and the energy that OutKast instilled in his interests, Falls’ describes as lacking in current music – aligning with some of the sentiment from R&B enthusiasts. 

“I’m really trying to push the genre, to some extent. I think there was more experimental music in the 2000s and in the ‘90s than now. Everyone’s kinda in this pocket,” he said.

His impression on the public is one that should remind older and newer followers of the genre what was great about R&B then, and what it could be now. 

 “On the next couple of albums, you’ll really hear the pushing of the genre, and trying to bend it.”