LISTEN HERE

 WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “TIME” (feat. Kiilynn) HERE

Today, Houston-based rising R&B artist Dende unveils his anxiously awaited new I am, because you are… EP available now via Def Jam Recordings. Listen HERE. Watch video for “Time” HERE.

 The six-track body of work doubles as a canvas for his emotions. Painting in broad strokes thematically, he explores the quick onset of romance, lust, and love as these feelings endure the ensuing phases of a relationship between two strong individual personalities.

Among many highlights, his vocals practically drip over a steady beat on the single “Stay” [feat. Roy Woods]. Backed by wailing guitar and skittering cymbals, falsetto echoes on the refrain as he confesses, “What I’m trying to say is…I just want you to stay.” Roy pulls up with an equally impactful cameo. Glimmers of guitar and keys dissolve into a head-nodding throwback rhythm during “Never,” building towards a proclamation, “No I’ll never find no one better.” Then, there’s the sultry finale “Dance With Me.” Piano pierces its hypnotic bounce, and he vividly sets the scene, “The smell of roses on the counter, you feel a breeze through that windowpane, slow music that we flurry to, the sweet red on my lips you taste.”

 With a painter’s attention-to-detail and a fine artist’s elevated perspective, he depicts love as it blooms, withers, and reignites on I am, because you are…

 Check out the full tracklisting below.

Dende recently paved the way for the EP with “Need U Like.” Receiving widespread applause, Billboard named it one of the “R&B Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week,” going on to rave, “With its smooth production and raw lyricism, “Need U Like” is Dende at his best — vulnerable, confident, and completely lost in love.” UPROXX included it as part of “All The Best New R&B Music From This Week,” continuing, “Dende’s infectious new single that serves as a profession of love to a significant other that he just can’t keep his hands and his eyes off of.”

Plus, the EP boasts “The Louvre” featuring LUCIIA. Earning critical acclaim from Billboard and many more, Rated R&B highlighted how the track “finds Dende enamored by a walking piece of art.” VIBE professed, “Dende’s first release under Def Jam is a soulful ode to his lover and his desire to immortalize her as art in the Louvre,” proceeding to urge, “Dedicate this one to the masterpiece in your life.” REMIXD MAGAZINE hailed it as a “poetic ode to love and admiration” and predicted “If this single is any indication, his next moves will only further solidify his place as a powerhouse in contemporary R&B.”

He has been making steady waves in the industry with his evocative storytelling and seamless fusion of early 2000s R&B with raw, personal narratives. Born in Katy, Texas, he grew up as a preacher’s son, honing his musical roots in church. His full-band live performances have captivated audiences at renowned venues, including SXSW and Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right. His UPROXX Live Performance remains the platform’s most-watched in history.

His most recent 2024 3-track EP, Wish You Were Here, garnered praise from RatedRnB, OurGenerationMusic, On The Radar, and Uproxx, following the success of Before We Crash and ‘95 Civic, which amassed over 6M streams independently. With over 400K monthly Spotify listeners and recognition from Billboard, On The Radar, REVOLT, and Lyrical Lemonade, Dende was named one of Complex’s 2024 Artists to Watch. 

TRACKLISTING

1. Time [feat. Kiilynn]

2. Need U Like

3. Stay [feat. Roy Woods]

4. The Louvre [feat. Luciia]

5. Never

6. Dance With Me