Ambré

Ambré is known for mellow and stimulating R&B with deliberately crafted lyrics that reward close listening. While the New Orleans native is highly sought after as a collaborator — for starters, she co-wrote two songs on H.E.R.’s Grammy-winning self-titled album — she has been releasing her own material since 2014, the year she made her recorded debut with a single that begat a close association with Kehlani. Since self-issuing a pair of mixtapes, Ambré has put together two EPs for Roc Nation. Pulp, released in 2019, featured the breakout slow jam “Fubu” and has been trailed by the equally assured 2022 offering 3000° and 2023 EP who’s loving you?, much of which she either produced or co-produced.
Ambré taught herself to play multiple instruments and produce music, and she honed her talents as a singer and songwriter while growing up in New Orleans’ foster care system. After she established a lasting connection with producer Erick Bardales, she debuted in 2014 with “Faded.” The single led to a bigger 2015 during which Ambré released the mixtape Wanderlust, teamed with Kehlani on a cover of Drake’s “Preach,” and opened dates on Kehlani’s tour in support of You Should Be Here. Ambré’s second tape, 2090’s, was out in 2016, as was her non-album single “No Service in the Hills,” another Kehlani collaboration. Over the next two years, Ambré offered a couple singles as a headliner and branched out with featured appearances on tracks by TOKiMONSTA, Keys N Krates, the Glitch Mob, and Ryan Hemsworth. In 2019, she continued to co-write material for other artists, most notably placing two songs (“U” and “Changes”) on H.E.R.’s Grammy-winning self-titled album. Roc Nation added Ambré to their artist roster and, that November, synchronized the announcement of the deal with the release of Pulp. Appearances from Jean Deaux, BJ the Chicago Kid, and G-Eazy boosted its profile, but it was the guest-less single “Fubu” that stood out most, quickly reaching seven-digit streaming figures.
A “director’s cut” of Pulp, featured appearances and outside songwriting (for the likes of serpentwithfeet, Gallant, Aluna, and Kehlani), contributions to soundtracks and compilations (Bruised, Insecure, Reprise: A Roc Nation Album, and Femme It Forward), and the occasional single, all lengthened Ambré’s discography from 2020 through the first half of 2022. After all that assorted work, she completed her second Roc Nation project, 3000°, and released it in June 2022. A ChopNotSlop edition of the EP, mixed by OG Ron C, appeared in November. In 2023, Ambré released the five-song EP who’s loving you?, with Mack Keane featured on the song “Elevate.” ~ Andy Kellman