Raphael Saadiq News

The singer-songwriter was one of the few R&B newcomers to elicit critical praise in 2003 with his debut album for Virgin, "Subject." The same sophisticated mix of soul, hip-hop and jazz supplies the creative foundation for his sophomore set, "Some Kinda ...," due October 4.

"I left the title open-ended," the Detroit native says. "I want people to listen and fill in their own definitions."

Dwele's own defining moment was his 2003 single "Find a Way." Its midtempo vibe returns on his new track "I Think I Love U," written and produced by Mike City. The single is No. 15 on the Adult R&B radio chart. Dwele's new 13-song set also includes collaborations with Jay Dilla (of Slum Village) and G-1 (who has worked with R. Kelly and Raphael Saadiq), plus nine self-produced songs.

"I got the chance to show more of my personality," Dwele says. "When you work with outside producers, it pushes you to step out of your box and come up with different sounds."

Having played the piano since age 6, Dwele (born Andwele Gardner) also took up the trumpet, flugelhorn, sax, guitar and bass. He puts those musical skills, along with his soothing tenor, to use on the title track, which tells his family story (his father died when he was 10), and the hip-hop-influenced "Keep On" featuring Slum Village.

Before embarking on his R&B path, Dwele earned an underground rep as an MC. Word-of-mouth eventually led to guest spots with Slum Village -- on the 2002 R&B hit "Tainted" -- and with rapper Bahamadia.

"R&B now wears a lot of different hats," says Dwele, who wants to add rock to his repertoire as well. "Every form of R&B has its place. There will always be a market for it."

Aside from guest stints lined up for upcoming albums by Slum Village, Hil St. Soul and Goapele, Dwele will head out on a promo tour in mid-October to support the album's October 3 release outside the United States.

And while his first album, "Subject," has sold a respectable 239,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Dwele says he did not then -- and still does not -- harbor any expectations.

"I'm happy with what 'Subject' did. It created a buzz and put my name out there overseas. And if we do our job correctly, it's the perfect setup for 'Some Kinda ..."'

Reuters/Billboard