Brian McKnight Teams With Country Act on First Warner Bros. Release, Omarion Explores 21 On New Album

By: Shayla Byrd

September 8, 2006

R&B singer Brian McKnight has always been known for his smooth vocals and soulful lyrics, but on his latest album, 10, he’s added a little bit of country to the mix.

On the new disc—the first since leaving Motown for Warner Bros.—the songster has teamed with country stars Rascal Flatts on a song called “Red, White, and Blue,” according to billboard.com.

But even though he’s experimenting with new sounds, McKnight hasn’t abandoned his R&B roots completely—a track featuring neo-soul artist Jill Scott, “More Than Just a Thang,” appears on the album, while Grammy Award-winning songwriters/producers Tim and Bob (who’ve crafted hits for artists like Boyz II Men and Bobby Valentino, among others) contribute to “Unhappy Without You” and 10’s lead single, “Used To Be My Girl.”

McKnight is optimistic about the new album and the record company switch, reports billboard.com.

"I've seen what they can do—they think outside the box," he said. "When I was a teen, all the acts I loved were on Warner Bros., including my brother Claude of Take 6. It's kind of surreal but it feels like this is where I should be."

Meanwhile, R&B crooner Omarion will also be dropping a fourth quarter release. And his has a numerical title as well—21.

"To me, at 21, it was a realization of who I wanted to become—just me practicing my morals as a man and getting better in my craft," Omarion told the site. The singer’s sophomore release will feature production from Pharrell Williams, the Underdogs, and Bryan Michael Cox. The current single “Entourage” is No. 27 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart.

Omarion will also appear in several upcoming films, according to Billboard, including Somebody Help Me, a horror flick that also stars fellow R&B singer Marques Houston, Reggaeton, the story of an aspiring Bronx rapper who’s forced to flee to Puerto Rico, and a drama called Street Soldier.

Omarian’s 21 is scheduled for release on October 31, while McKnight’s 10 drops a few weeks later, on November 14.

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