The SoulBack R&B Podcast: Episode 58 (featuring Elle Varner)

We are back on the #SoulBackPodcast despite some serious technical difficulties. Our mics had issues which would explain the sound quality of our podcast but it's all good because we still have some great content. Our boy Dan Bamber joins us as a special guest co-host as Edd is off this week. This somehow coincidentally falls on the same week that we have Elle Varner in the building. In this interview with Elle, we talk to her about her hiatus, her amazing debut album "Perfectly Imperfect" as well as her new album "Ellevation". Elle Varner talks to us about how happy she is currently as an independent artist and the freedom she feels she has when she's recording her music. On our end we talk to Dan about why he thinks T-Pain is great despite our criticisms and we also debate if Ciara is a legend.

0:01:00: More chicken wings discussion
0:05:20: Did T-Pain really kill R&B?
0:08:25: Who will go down as a legend: Ne-Yo or Ciara or both?
0:15:05: Our favorite R&B singers post 2010
0:22:30: The dumb mindset that an artist has to be "hot" before they can put out real music
0:26:00: D'Angelo vs Musiq Soulchild debate
0:30:50: Is "Voodoo" overrated?
0:38:45: Elle Varner joins the #SoulBackPodcast
0:40:25: The backstory of the "Ellevation" EP
0:45:45: The hurt that came with her unreleased "Four Letter Word" album
0:47:47: Adapting as an independent artist
0:51:00: Being one of the only R&B artists from the post 2010 era to break through
0:54:00: Seeing the evolution of Gabi Wilson to H.E.R. from Elle Varner's perspective
0:57:03: Measuring success as an indie artist versus when she was on a major