Rene Bonét

The sound of hip-hop/R&B singer/songwriter Rene Bonét evokes the golden age of the '90s and early 2000s through sultry vocals paired with laid-back, understated beats. Born Rikita Rene Lincoln in Leesburg, Virginia—a quaint, historic suburb of Washington, D.C.—she passed much of her youth spending time with friends in the capital. As a bullied, troubled teen, she directed her focus toward music and cultivated a resilience that she later stated aided her advancement in the unforgiving music industry. Finding limited opportunities in her hometown, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, a major center of rap production, and also resided for a period in Sydney, Australia, whose cosmopolitan setting shaped her perspective.

After beginning as a rapper and transitioning to vocals, she issued her initial proper release, "Energy," in 2019. Following her time abroad, she collaborated with beatmaker Weku Did That—who became her consistent producer—on "Frequencies." The track's sultry vocals and understated beats referenced the '90s and early 2000s, reinforced by a song titled "Keith Sweat," yet carried a contemporary finish. In 2021 she released two further singles, "Stay" and "One Way Ride," plus an EP under her rap-rock alter ego Bully Barbé; these recordings and her prior output were subsequently removed from streaming platforms.

Her acoustic rendition of Blackstreet's "Before I Let You Go" drew praise from legendary Teddy Riley, a member of the group and the track's writer and producer. The 2023 single "Nights Like This" received three Grammy nominations. She subsequently signed a distribution agreement with Virgin subsidiary SRG/ILS for her EP-length debut album, Voice Memos, which featured the singles "The Conversation," "La Quinta Inn & Suites," and "Apt. #109" and appeared digitally in April 2024.