Eric Benét Turns 60 and Hands Us "Heaven," With a New Album on the Way

Eric Benét turned 60 on October 15th, and instead of waiting on gifts, he gave one. The man who has been in our ears for thirty years dropped a new single, "Heaven," and confirmed that his tenth album, We Need Everybody, is coming later this fall through his own label, JBR Creative Group. No release date or tracklist yet, but if this song is any hint of where the project is headed, we're in good hands.

Earlier this year he gave us "Who's Gonna Save Us?", a record with something on its mind about the state of the world. "Heaven" goes back home to what Eric does best: the slow, late-night ballad. Producer Camper is behind it again, building the track on live-feeling guitar, keys, and horns with drums that take their time. Eric sits right in the pocket with that warm middle voice, then floats up into the falsetto we've loved since day one. The chorus is a promise to his lady that by the end of the night, she won't want to come back down. The video keeps it simple, just Eric in a sunlit mansion, sunglasses on, wearing a powder-blue suit like it was cut for him alone. Sixty never looked so relaxed.

If you want to see him in person, he's hitting the road in December on the You Do Tour, with more dates still being added at ericbenet.net. He's also booked for the first Rock The Bells Presents: I Need Luv Cruise next November. Until then, pour something nice and let "Heaven" do what it does. Catch it and more grown-and-sexy R&B live, anytime, at redcuprnb.com.