R&B has always had a way of making personal experiences feel universal. A breakup becomes a ballad. A realization becomes an anthem. A difficult chapter becomes the song somebody else needed to hear. For Maithili Raelle, that connection between personal growth and music continues to shape her emergence as one of R&B’s rising voices.
The 22-year-old New Jersey-raised artist is stepping into her next chapter with “I Choose Me,” featuring Hiii Siddity, a soulful new release centered around self-worth, independence and the importance of choosing yourself. But for Maithili, choosing yourself isn’t necessarily about shutting the world out. It’s about finally listening to yourself.
A different kind of R&B love story
Maithili’s latest release follows the momentum of “Used To Love,” her breakout single that sampled Usher’s “You Remind Me” and surpassed 350,000 streams. That record introduced listeners to her ability to pair soulful vocals with emotionally driven storytelling. “I Choose Me” builds on that foundation, but the perspective has changed.
This time, the conversation isn’t primarily about what happened with someone else. It’s about what happens when you decide to prioritize yourself. Whether that means walking away from something that no longer feels right, setting boundaries, reclaiming your confidence or simply protecting your peace, “I Choose Me” captures a feeling that has become increasingly familiar to a generation navigating relationships, identity and personal growth in real time.
And that’s where Maithili’s approach becomes especially relatable. She isn’t presenting self-love as a perfect destination. She’s presenting it as a decision.
From inspiration to identity
Maithili’s journey also reflects a larger story happening throughout contemporary R&B: emerging artists are pulling from the records and artists that influenced them while simultaneously creating something unmistakably personal. Her connection to Usher’s catalog through “Used To Love” offered listeners a familiar point of entry. But “I Choose Me” makes it clear that Maithili isn’t interested in being defined solely by her influences. She’s building her own language.
Her heritage, experiences and musical influences all become pieces of a larger artistic identity—one that allows her to move between vulnerability, confidence and self-discovery without forcing herself into a single box. That’s important for an artist this early in her career. At 22, Maithili is still discovering what her sound can become. But there’s already a clear throughline in her work: emotion matters. The story matters. And the person behind the voice matters just as much as the record itself.
The “I Choose Me” era
There comes a point in every artist’s evolution when the music begins to sound less like an introduction and more like a statement. “I Choose Me” feels like that moment for Maithili Raelle. She’s not simply following the emotional blueprint of her earlier work. She’s expanding it. The result is a record that speaks to anyone who has ever had to make the difficult decision to prioritize their own peace and to anyone still learning that self-worth doesn’t require permission.
From sampling an R&B classic to creating music that speaks directly to her own generation, Maithili is showing that evolution doesn’t mean abandoning where you came from. Sometimes it means taking everything you’ve learned and finally making it yours. With “I Choose Me,” Maithili Raelle isn’t just entering another chapter. She’s choosing what that chapter gets to sound like. See for yourself here at REMIXD Magazine! Lastly, let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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