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R. Kelly taps into a groundswell of emotion for “I Believe.” Opening with samples from Obama’s acceptance speech, this moving tribute to Kelly’s fellow Chicagoan-now-President-elect uses choirs, string arrangements, and a dramatic jet flyover to create his most celebratory track since “I Believe I Can Fly.” “The night Obama was elected I was inspired to write this song,” says R. Kelly. “Hopefully it touches anyone trying to accomplish something special in their life. Anything is possible if you believe.”

Philadelphia soul singer Jazmine Sullivan is a protégé of Missy Elliott. The mogul mentored Sullivan when she was a teen. Today, at age 22, Jazmine is grown and sexy with her new Missy/Lamb-produced single “Need U Bad.” Sullivan heats up summer with this soul/dub reggae hybrid that sounds perfect blasting out of the corner bodega. Watch for her upcoming album Fearless, due later this month.

Working in front one of the all-time great crate-digger beats, Karina makes it easy to fall for her thoughtful, boom-bastic pop. Karina is a pianist/songwriter/teenager whose debut, First Love was produced by Tricky Stewart and The-Dream and has already gained a little bit of love thanks to the single “Sixteen @ War.”

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Algebra Blessett is an R&B songbird from Atlanta whose gentle rain caught the ear of Kedar Massenburg, who assisted D’Angelo and Erykah Badu early on in their careers.  With “Run and Hide”, Blessett curls toes with a sensuous tale of elusive love, heightened by synthesized strings, hearbeat keys, and a bedrock beat.  Nothing complex about this Algebra; enter her classroom and get schooled.

Duffy has quickly become one of the 2008’s most exciting musical figures in the U.K. The sound on “Mercy” is one that’s out of time – glassy go-go soul with smoky undertones of regret. The young Duffy takes centerstage and does her best Dusty Springfield. It’s a finger-snapping Motown groove with some white-hot soul power underneath.

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This “Single of the Week” also happens to be nominated for a grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The track mixes DeVaughn’s laid-back, Marvin Gaye-esque croon against a classy, tinkling, piano-addled groove. But the lyrical spins about women (special, beautiful, strong, grown) gives the gift of empowerment in under four minutes.