10 Empowering R&B Songs To Help You Be Your Best Self in 2025

Honeybees, 2025 is going to be your year! Say it out loud and read the first sentence a few more times if you have to. Let your friends and chosen family know, too, if you think they could use words of encouragement. We’re manifesting it and everyone else should, too. While we’re manifesting, we would love to give you a list of 10 empowering R&B songs to help you be your best self in 2025. Spoiler alert: you might find songs from artists like Beyoncé, SZA, and FLO.

‘The Baddest’ by Muni Long

“I’m learning
None of you really don’t deserve me
Not if all you gonna do is hurt me
Know you gon’ regret this looking back
I’m the baddest b*tch you ever had“

We’re starting off strong with this list. The first song on our list is ‘The Baddest’ by Muni Long from her latest album, Revenge. The song is about someone not deserving of Muni Long’s trust, love, or anything in between. She knows her worth and knows what she deserves. She’s the baddest b*tch she knows, independent and unapologetic about it. It’s an empowering reminder for remembering you’re the baddest b*tch and deserve the world. Cut the people who don’t deserve you out and put yourself first. 

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‘On My Mama’ by Victoria Monét

“I put that on my own mama, on my hood
I look fly, I look good
You can’t touch my bag, wish you could
I look fly, I look too good“

We don’t think we could’ve gotten away with not including a song by Victoria on this list, let alone ‘On My Mama.’ After all, it was one of the best empowering songs she’s made. It also won the BET HER Award at the 2024 BET Awards. The song is all about having self-confidence and owning who you are. It helps that the song is filled with positive affirmations one can feel free to recite to oneself when waking up in the morning and looking in the mirror or being on the go. Victoria Monet knew what she was doing when she released this song. We love every moment of it, and we love singing it every time the song comes on. 

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‘Saturn’ by SZA

“Life’s better on Saturn
Got to break this pattern
Of floating away“

Our third empowering song for being your best self in 2025 is SZA’s ‘Saturn.’ The song is about being stuck in a cycle repeating itself. The singer no longer wants to deal with things like that and wants a change to happen. SZA would rather think about going to Saturn, by any means. People sometimes have moments where they’re tired of the same old routine and crave something new. 2025 is a good time to break out of those habits and problems, do something new, try new things, and try to become the best version of yourself to make your life better for yourself. We think SZA might be on to something when it comes to wanting to travel to another planet, but that’s a story for another time.

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‘Era’ by Tayla Parx ft. Tkay Maidza

“I’m in my uh-uh era
I’m in my f*ck it era
I’m in my mm-hmm, I already had that era“

 
Tayla Parx has bops for days, and among those bops, she has some empowering songs. ‘Era’ featuring Tkay Maidza oozes empowerment in all the right ways. With a new year comes a new era. ‘Era’ is an upbeat, fun song with a funky beat. We mean that in a good way, in case you’re wondering. The song is all about entering a new era where you don’t care about anything or anyone who’s trying to stand in the way of your happiness. In the words of Tayla Parx, “I been learning boundaries, I been tryna get good sleep, I been growing food to eat.” Take the lyrics as ways to begin the new era you’re ready to step in. Set those boundaries, get some good sleep, and grow your food—if you don’t have the time or patience to do that, shopping healthfully works too. 

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‘No Broke Boys’ by Tinashe

“No broke boys, no new friends
I’m that pressure, give me my tens
Ain’t no lie, ain’t no shade“

We fell in love with Tinashe’s ‘No Broke Boys’ when we first heard it. This song is about knowing what you want and not settling for less. It’s about being unapologetically yourself, while being single. Nothing’s wrong with being single and wanting to enjoy spending time with your besties. Honestly, it’s one of the best feelings ever. Not to say being in a relationship isn’t, but you know what we mean… We hope! If you’re single, enjoy your singleness while out here trying to be your best self! Also, alongside the song being an empowering song to remind you to be your best self, the song has catchy lyrics!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TINASHE:
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‘I’m Just A Girl’ by FLO

“Yeah, you’re testing my patience, underestimation
With your conversation ’bout my reputation“

FLO is one of those groups that’s all about empowerment. We’re not saying that other groups aren’t about it, but FLO has a lot of empowering bops, and they’ve only been out for a few years now! While there are several songs we could’ve chosen to help you be your best self in the new year, we ultimately decided on ‘I’m Just A Girl’ from their debut album, Access All Areas. The song is all about unapologetically celebrating yourself and who you are.

As three Black women in the music industry, the song is important and empowering to both them and Black women. In the words of Stella, “Give me that spotlight, then tell me I’m not right; act like I can’t shine without it.“ Let people know you’re deserving of a bright spotlight, as you deserve to shine brighter than stars. Make sure they see you while you’re out here trying to be your best self.

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‘Level Up’ by Ciara

“I just keep elevating, no losses, just upgrading
My lessons, made blessings, I turned tha t into money
Less talking, more action, you just gon’ see Ci coming“

What would a list of empowering songs to help you be your best self be without Ciara’s ‘Level Up?’ The song is all about elevating and upgrading yourself, after all. Ciara points out things she’s done to level herself up from where she was at some point to who she’s become. She wants others to do the same and level up their lives, including leaving people who don’t deserve you, getting money the way you want, learning from your mistakes, growing from them, etc. It’s the way to go if you want to be your best self, as we’re trying to make happen in 2025.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CIARA:
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‘Do It’ by Chloe x Halle

“Tiptoe ’round a hater, I’m light on my feet
That’s how you do it, keep stuntin’ on your enemies
Good vibes only“

Being your best self can also include spending time with your best friends, homies, squad, or whatever your friend group calls the group. ‘Do It’ by Chloe x Halle is all about having fun with your day ones and enjoying yourself. In the words of the sisters, “No drama, no baby mamas, keepin’ it cute.” We’re having fun and keeping everything cute in 2025, from our looks to how we react to or, better yet, ignore haters, etc.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHLOE X HALLE:
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‘Pretty Hurts’ by Beyoncé

“We shine the light on whatever’s worst
We try to fix something
But you can’t fix what you can’t see“

Everyone deserves a reminder of how they’re beautiful on the inside and out, especially when it gets tough. We’re trying to help your best self through the power of R&B songs, so it’s only right we include a song about beauty. Beyoncé’s ‘Pretty Hurts’ is highly recommended. The song is about inner beauty and accepting your flaws and imperfections in a world where society likes to hold people up to impossible beauty standards. Don’t let society continue to tell you that you don’t look good enough in the future. Don’t let yourself tell you, either.

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‘Rise Up’ by Andra Day

“I’ll rise up, rise like the day
I’ll rise up in spite of the ache
I will rise a thousands times again“

Life has its ups and downs, but what’s important is what we do and how we react when life gets us down. Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’ is a perfect song for those moments. The song is about overcoming challenges that are thrown your way. It’s a protest song, but we feel as if it’s a song that can empower anyone to be their best self. While life can be hard and get you down, pick yourself up and say you got this, and you can do and overcome anything.

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‘Just Fine’ by Mary J. Blige

“Keep your head up high
In yourself, believe in you, believe in me
Having a really good time, I’m not complaining (Hey)
And I’m a still wear a smile if it’s raining (Oh, hey)“

To live your best life, remember you’ll be just fine. That’s why we’re leaving you with Mary J. Blige’s ‘Just Fine.’ The song is about being unapologetically you and letting the world know you’ll be happy, no matter what you’re going through in life. One last thing to remember and take away from the song, although the whole song is filled with things to remember, “feels so good when you’re doing all the things that you wanna do.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARY J. BLIGE:
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Honeybees, there you have it, ten empowering R&B songs to help you be your best self in 2025! Do you have a favorite on the list? What song resonates with you the most going into 2025? Is it SZA’s ‘Saturn,’ or maybe it’s ‘The Baddest’ by Muni Long? Whatever it is, even if it’s not on the list, we would love to hear it. Let us know in the comments below or by contacting us via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Maybe if SZA goes to ‘Saturn,’ she’ll take us. We can hope, right?!