Mnelia has been one of the shining lights of the UK's R&B scene for some time now. Ever since her sugary bop "Say Yeah" announced her to fans of the genre a couple of years ago, she's seemed destined to arrive at this point; and then, last Friday, she released her new EP, Closure Tapes. Benefitting from production from the likes of Sampl, ESTA, Nosa Apollo, and more, Mnelia continues her staple of breathing new life into the traditional R&B format.

Speaking on the creation of Closure Tapes, Mnelia shares: "Creating this project was the perfect safe space for me to explore all the many emotions that being a new mother, whilst simultaneously dealing with heartache, delivered to my front door. I wanted for every song to reflect each stage of heartbreak, from upset to acceptance and even the fleeting feeling of regression at times. For the average lover, heartbreak isn't a stranger. Closure Tapes is a testament to that."

With features from Kwengface, Jayla Darden and an all-woman, all-star lineup of Miraa May, Joyce Wrice and Bellah on the "Genesis (Remix)", Mnelia's perspective and feeling are front and centre on the project. For both supporters and naysayers of the UK R&B genre, Closure Tapes is an important indicator of the healthy state of the scene here.