COYOTE

The award for “most meteoric come-up of 2024” goes to Tommy Richman, the 24-year-old singer who blew up seemingly overnight with “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” the groovy TikTok sensation that went on to take over the charts. Though he seemed to come from nowhere, the Woodbridge, Virginia, native and trained opera singer released his first EP, *Paycheck*, in 2022, then signed to kindred spirit Brent Faiyaz’s label in 2023. Still, to launch a song-of-the-summer contender amidst the great Kendrick Lamar/Drake beef of 2024 isn’t just beginner’s luck. Most newcomers would milk that kind of success for all it’s worth, but you won’t find “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” on Richman’s debut album, *COYOTE*. Bold play. Richman’s an old soul, drawn to ’80s funk and the kind of R&B that had men doing choreography and wearing their hearts on their silky sleeves. That’s *COYOTE*’s mood from top to bottom, with each of its 11 tracks flowing seamlessly into the next, giving the feeling of a party with an excellent DJ. There’s pathos in his echoing falsetto, which hits a little harder when he doesn’t quite hit the note, as on “WHITNEY,” a Frank Ocean song run through a shiny ’80s funk filter. “TENNESSEE” channels SoundCloud rap boosted with vintage Bay Area bounce, while “LETTERMAN” has the young nostalgist draping his letterman’s jacket on his girl’s shoulders before taking her out to the speakeasy. It’s a fresh, cohesive introduction to an artist poised to transcend “one-hit wonder” status.