Those who think R&B ended in the 2000’s are really missing out on the gifts of artists like Daniel Caesar, SZA and Jhene Aikó. Thanks to DJ/producer extraordinaire Orange Calderón, you can introduce these and many other R&B acts to your aunties by way of her latest mix, “Heatwaves.”
While its summer-themed release lands in September, the groove warrants attention all year round. As part of her Julius series, the ninth installment follows the popular “FEELS” mix that featured acts like Teyana Taylor, Tory Lanez, Iman Omari, Bryson Tiller and UGK.
With “Heatwaves,” each track compliments the other thanks to love-like songs like Kehlani (“Down For You”), SZA (“Doves In The Wind”) and SiR (“All In My Head”), as well as a few odes to those who challenged the genre in the aughts like Cassie (“Kiss Me”), Craig David (“Seven Days”) and Erykah Badu (“Window Seat”). Her transitions remain smooth and laid back, much like each track.
A lover of music and good vibes, Calerón kicked off her DJ career after removing herself from the fashion space in 2014. A consistent curation of successful Soundcloud mixes would lead the Filipino-Basque and Mexican creative to competing in DJ tournaments like McDonald’s and Complex’s Annual ‘Flavor Battle’–and win. From there, Calderón went on to open for artists like Skillex and Outkast and DJ gigs on your favorite shows.
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Check out the spiritually lit “Heatwaves” mix and track list below.