Summer Walker isn’t particularly enthusiastic about the current state of R&B – a sentiment that shouldn’t be misconstrued as criticism of the talented artists currently thriving in the genre. At the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 7, the singer of “Girls Need Love” expressed her genuine opinions about the current state of the genre.

“She admitted to Complex’s Jordan Rose that she doesn’t like it.” No offense intended. I’m a traditional kind of girl. I’m really fond of groups like SWV, Xscape, and Brandy, and although I almost mentioned another artist that I won’t mention, I’m a huge fan of classic R&B music. Have a look at the video clip that follows.

No shade, but Summer Walker is an old school R&B head at heart #VMAs pic.twitter.com/uG2ATvBvhU

— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) September 8, 2025

She isn’t the only one who feels that way. The previous year, Lil Yachty – who also complimented Xscape at the time – stated that the genre was lacking a “level of richness to it.” He said to the publication, “My preferred style of singing is 1990s African American women on R&B albums.”

In February, Muni Long suggested that R&B could benefit from artists exploring new sounds and being more open. The “Hrs & Hrs” artist told The New York Times Style Magazine, “Let’s create some wedding songs.” Party songs such as those typically played in nightclubs could be enjoyable.

Walker is preparing to release Finally Over It while currently touring with Chris Brown’s “Breezy Bowl XX Stadium World Tour.” The Grammy-nominated artist’s highly anticipated third studio album has been in production for quite a while. Indeed, the lead single, “Heart Of A Woman,” was released in October 2024. The video for the song featured Kordell Beckham and Serena Page, who won Season 6 of “Love Island USA,” whereas the accompanying visual saw NLE Choppa play the role of Walker’s romantic interest.

The R&B singer released ‘Spend It’ in May. The record’s music video featuring a heist theme included appearances by “P-Valley” actresses Gail Bean, Miracle Watts, and Brandee Evans. The clip also featured Joanne the Scammer, Angela “Blac Chyna” White, and Eric Roberts.

Before releasing the LP, Walker debuted “Over It Radio” on Apple Music. She described her vision for ‘Over It Radio’ as a safe space where she can control her own story and offer a platform for her admired female colleagues in the entertainment industry to do the same. “We engage in discussions about issues that concern them without any ulterior motives.”