Three-time Juno Award-winning R&B artist Savannah Ré talks with SHIFTER’s Yannick Mutombo about songwriting, her new music, and more.
Picture this. You’re a three-time JUNO Award-winning R&B singer with co-signs from legendary producer Babyface and music icons like Drake and SZA. You’ve written songs for Normani and Jessie Reyez, and supported TLC, Coco Jones, and PARTYNEXTDOOR on tour. All the while, the music video for your latest single has quickly amassed several hundred thousand views ahead of the release of your upcoming album, cementing your potential to be a mainstay in the Canadian R&B landscape.
“Doors don’t open. You still [have to] kick them open. Even at this point in my career. I’ve won the awards. I feel like I’m still trying to cement myself internationally as well. I still [have] a whole lot more to do.” –Savannah Ré
Savannah Ré continues to gain momentum following the success of singles “Solid,” “24hrs,” and “Last One” in the Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year category at the JUNOs. Yes—to win the award three years in a row is validating, but it also represents a milestone for aspiring musicians like Ré.
“It feels like those accolades are definitely bigger than me. They’re for all the artists that are [like] me, young Black women, young Black artists that are making urban music. You can take it as far as you want to take it,” she told SHIFTER in a recent interview.
With three JUNOs under her belt, Ré said she is “just getting started.” Building a global fanbase is her priority, both as a songwriter for other artists, and a performer in her own right.
DIGITAL COVER | MAY 2025
“Doors don’t open. You still [have to] kick them open. Even at this point in my career. I’ve won the awards. I feel like I’m still trying to cement myself internationally as well. I still [have] a whole lot more to do”, she said.
R&B stars like Victoria Monet, Tinashe, and Muni Long also have a history of writing for other artists before they rose to prominence. Ré co-wrote and co-produced Canadian pop singer Jessie Reyez’s “La Memoria” from her 2020 debut album. More recently, Ré penned songs for Normani (which have yet to be released). Writing for others can be a challenge when Ré is working on her own music.
“For me, they’re like separate brains. My artist brain and my songwriting brain are two completely different things, and I honestly love them equally. They compliment each other, but work in tandem. So there isn’t a push and pull. It’s a balance. When I go and write for different artists, I’m Savannah the songwriter. The only thing that gets hard, balance wise, is when I’m in full-swing as an artist, if I’m working on my own project at the time. But it’s definitely something that I’m working on. I love songwriting, and I’m hoping to write for more of my peers,” she explained.
“A lot of the stuff I’ve written for other artists is not out yet. One of my favourite songs that I’ve written would be “Last One” with Dylan [Sinclair]. He wrote his own verse. That was my favourite collaboration”, she continued.
Prior to the release of Opia (2020), Ré participated in two songwriting competitions organized by legendary producer Babyface. She subsequently signed to 1Music, an imprint under Universal Music Canada and owned by hitmaker Boi-1da, who produced Drake’s “Best I Ever Had,” Eminem’s “Not Afraid,” and Rihanna’s “Work.” Last August, Drake sampled Savannah’s “Sex With My Ex.” Ré is still getting used to receiving co-signs from her peers.
“[Boi-1da] changed my life. He met me as a writer, not fully as an artist, and said, you know what? I’m looking at this writer, this not fully-formed artist. I’m going to invest in this. Similarly, with Babyface, absolute legend. For him to take an interest in me as a writer, as an artist, never ceases to amaze me.” –Savannah Ré
“It’s always shocking. Every time I’m sitting here freaking out around my phone. I’m such a huge fan of SZA. On the outside, things could always look shiny. Everything’s just a highlight reel of what you might be going through. I was definitely fighting silent fights when SZA [reposted me]. That was the affirmation I needed at that time, specifically from her”, she said.
“[Boi-1da] changed my life. He met me as a writer, not fully as an artist, and said, you know what? I’m looking at this writer, this not fully-formed artist. I’m going to invest in this. Similarly, with Babyface, absolute legend. For him to take an interest in me as a writer, as an artist, never ceases to amaze me. I’m always in awe of being seen by these people. And then Coco Jones went on to take me on tour. She’s so incredible. I’m so proud of all this,” she added.
Ré’s parents immigrated from Jamaica before she was born. Growing up in Scarborough, Ontario, she was fully immersed in music throughout her childhood.
“My upbringing was music. My dad was a DJ—reggae, dancehall, and pop. I don’t know if a lot of people know this, but West Indian people, Jamaicans, we love country [music]. We have all these country covers that are big in Jamaica. My mom loved music as well. And I have a big sister who was obsessed with 90s R&B. She loved everybody. Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Method Man, Mary J. [Blige]. I just fell in love with it”, she said.
R&B is a crowded genre. Canadian singers are competing both domestically and internationally for listenership with artists from the US, or the UK, to name a few markets, which Ré describes as an uphill battle.
“In the beginning, I was signed to a Canadian label. That label’s focus was Canada, [as opposed to] anywhere else. So, being present internationally is the goal with this project, the new team that I’ve assembled. And the interesting thing about it is, 85 to 90 percent of my listenership is in the US. I might not physically be there, but the music is landing there”, she said.
Ré hopes to go on tour to promote her new album, FORMED, slated for release on May 14. The album is her first project to be released independently.
“I’m getting DMs every day from [fans in] Canada, the States. Like, girl, when are you getting on the road? I got to do Europe with Coco [Jones], and it was really eye-opening. There were so many people in the audience singing my songs word-for-word. It blew me away”, she said.
Ré released singles “Glory” and “Nine Lives” ahead of FORMED. The album is entirely produced by Ré’s husband and long-time collaborator, YogiTheProducer.
“‘Glory’ is my baby when it comes to songs. It was one of the first songs that I worked on for this project. It happened so organically. My husband and I have a studio in our house. It was like any other creative night where we vibe out. He immediately knew what I wanted and started producing. And as he’s doing it, the lyrics are flooding in. I gave him ten to fifteen minutes with the beat. I went [into] the booth and freestyled the whole song. It always gives me chills to think about the session. That’s the first time I’ve done that”, she said.
“Nine Lives,” a sensual, braggadocious anthem about female empowerment, polarized male and female listeners with its innuendos about female sexuality and resilience.
“It’s been two sides of a coin. Every woman that hears it is like, Yay, I get it. But a lot of the men are like, What the hell is this? And I love that. I’m glad you got it, but otherwise, it’s not for y’all. I knew the P-word was going to be polarizing. But when you get past it, the message [is] power”, she said.
“I want everybody to see themselves in this project, for my supporters to see my growth since Opia.” –Savannah Ré
I got to listen to FORMED ahead of its release. The album feels like a continuation of Ré’s previous outputs—she peppers references to her EP No Weapons (2022) throughout, and uses introspective songwriting, soulful vocals, acoustic riffs and airy synths to showcase her unwavering determination to preserve her self-worth and prevail in relationships.
“I want everybody to see themselves in this project, for my supporters to see my growth since Opia. As much as I deal with deeper themes, I wanted it to sound lighter. I already have the sit-there-and-cry-in-your-room music. While I’m still dealing with the same themes, I want you all to be able to dance to it”, she said.
FORMED drops independently through Matrimony Records on May 14.
Related content:
