Two years after her last official release, Jai’Len Josey has returned with a sun-soaked spark of joy. Her new single, “New Girl,” is as flirty as it is fearless — a genre-bending anthem for anyone caught up in the giddy rush of new love. With its bouncing U.K. garage rhythms and R&B roots, the track is a welcome reintroduction to one of modern soul’s most distinct emerging voices.

Produced alongside HeroThaProducer, Madness, and Michael Barney, “New Girl” carries a certain breeziness, but there’s precision beneath the fun. Josey’s voice is elastic and expressive, threading between confident coos and sultry lines with the ease of someone who’s lived in many musical worlds. It’s not just a catchy single — it’s a clear evolution.

Lyrically, “New Girl” captures that all-too-relatable moment when a spark turns into something more. Josey distills it with vivid intimacy and refreshing playfulness: “You’re liking what you’re seeing / So come on, baby, put the fire deep in.” There’s no pretense here — just honest emotion layered over club-ready grooves. And the retro workout visualizer? A perfect match for the energy she’s bottling in the booth.

What makes this release even more exciting is the context. “New Girl” sets the stage for Josey’s debut album Serial Romantic, executive produced by none other than Tricky Stewart — the architect behind classics from Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Janet Jackson. That pedigree, combined with Josey’s fearless genre fusion, suggests Serial Romantic could be one of 2025’s defining R&B records.

Josey has never shied away from vulnerability, but here she doubles down on fun, joy, and self-assurance. Like her previous EP Southern Delicacy and the storytelling dive of Conversations From a Payphone, “New Girl” is rooted in lived experience — this time filtered through neon lights, heart emojis, and a knowing wink.

If this track is any indication, Jai’Len Josey is ready to own her narrative, her sound, and the summer.