Rising neo-soul artist Jacqui returns with her latest single ‘fries, bb’, a smooth and effortlessly stylish slice of alternative R&B that dropped on May 9, 2025, via Beeline Records. Premiered by the influential CLASH Magazine and supported by NOTION, the track cements Jacqui’s growing reputation as one of the most captivating new voices in contemporary soul.
Since emerging with her debut Birthday EP in 2022, Jacqui has steadily built a name for herself, racking up over 500,000 Spotify streams and landing coveted performance slots around the globe. From sharing stages with R&B heavyweight slchld to festival appearances at SXSW Sydney, Bangkok Music City, and soon, The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, her momentum is undeniable. Her music has also caught the attention of screen curators — with placements in Netflix’s My Holo Love and Amazon Prime’s BUTTERFLY, her sound is reaching wider audiences by the day.
Rooted in a rich cultural journey — born in Korea, raised in China and the U.S. — Jacqui’s musical palette is as global as her upbringing. A teenage introduction to Erykah Badu set her on the path toward soul, but her explorations span everything from experimental electronica to classic R&B. The result is a nuanced style that echoes artists like FKA Twigs, Mahalia, and, of course, Badu herself — introspective, tender, and playfully offbeat.
“‘fries, bb’ takes place in a late-night burger shop, ordering things when I am not even hungry, just because I want to spend more time with this person next to me. Still, no moves are made and then it’s me saying “just so you know, I am into you.” I focused on creating a straight-forward and aggressive (in a cute way!) sound that penetrates the whole song which matches with the message I am carrying in this song. So that is why you will hear different types of distortion on my voice and the instruments.”
‘fries, bb’ is Jacqui at her most confident yet. Airy synths, slick basslines, and lo-fi percussion form a lush backdrop as her honeyed vocals float and flirt above it all. The lyrics blend wit with vulnerability, sketching a portrait of romantic craving wrapped in tongue-in-cheek charm. There’s a deliberate balance at play — the track is both featherlight and emotionally weighted, coolly minimal yet richly expressive.
As she steps into a new phase of her artistry, ‘fries, bb’ feels like Jacqui’s way of inviting listeners closer into her world: sultry, self-assured, and irresistibly soulful.