DESTIN CONRAD is the latest R&B sensation that has everyone’s attention. The R&B artist, who first found his voice in church, has steadily carved out a lane defined by honesty, versatility, and a willingness to center joy. With the release of his new album “Love on Digital,” he is entering a moment that feels freer and more self-assured than ever. The project channels nostalgia, leans into live performance energy, and continues his commitment to creating music that feels personal, both to him and to the people who hear it.

“I thought I wanted to be a songwriter for a long period of time, and then I just kinda fell into making music. It snowballed,” Conrad recalls of his early years. What began as demos with his producer, Louie, evolved into something too personal to hand off. “I made my first EP with my producer, Louie. We started making demos, but they felt too personal to give to other people.” That intimacy became the foundation of his artistry, pushing him to step fully into the spotlight.

When asked about exploring genres beyond R&B, he lights up. “I’m really a student to the craft. I love jazz music. I was in jazz choir as a kid, so I kinda had that muscle,” he says. That love later became the spark for his jazz-inspired project wHIMSY, which revealed yet another side of his artistry. Still, he admits, “R&B is my core. That’s what you’re always gonna hear the most of from me.” With “Love on Digital,” the rising R&B star leaned into that center while reaching back to the sounds that shaped him. “I wanted to channel that nostalgia. I wasn’t trying to do anything out of the box, just something that felt like something I’d heard before.”

However, his voice transcends musical range; it extends to representation. He’s unapologetic about creating songs that often reference love between men, using “he” and “him” in ways that remain rare in mainstream R&B. When asked how it feels to take that approach, he says, “It makes me so happy when other queer people feel seen by me or feel like they have my voice as a reference.” For him, writing from truth is non-negotiable. “All I can do is write from the truth. I would hate to make music and lie.”

That honesty extends to his view of music as a whole. “Music is so subjective. It’s like wearing an outfit and finding clothes that fit you,” he explains. Not everyone will connect with his sound — and he’s fine with that. “It’s for who it’s for. I don’t feel like everybody needs to connect with it. But the people that do—I love and respect.”

The same spirit shaped “Love on Digital’s” is its focus on performance. After touring his last project, “Submissive,” the “Kissing In Public” singer wanted songs that would feel alive in front of an audience. “When I made 'Love on Digital,' I was thinking about performing. These songs are probably the most fun I’ve ever had performing, and it’s only been one show.”

He carried that excitement from a celebratory moment in New York before hitting the road again. Teaming up with D’USSÉ, Conrad hosted a dinner with friends that doubled as a send-off for his current tour. “It just worked out perfectly. I could have a send-off with all my friends in Brooklyn before the “Love On Digital” tour. I felt really loved.” And in true Destin fashion, he adds with a grin, “They know the baddies for real.”

So what does he hope people take away from this project? “Fun. Just fun. I don’t want people to think too deep into it because I didn’t think too deep into making it,” he says. Even the more introspective tracks were designed to land with lightness. “Optimism, divine optimism, and joy.”

From his beginnings in church to his voice now echoing across venues and communities, DESTIN CONRAD is proof that grounding music in truth creates freedom. “Love on Digital” is a celebration of growth, representation, and joy.