B5 Returns with “Say Yes” While Prepping New Album

The five brothers who make up the dynamic B5 are young veterans who have grown up in the music business as singing, dancing dynamos. Taking their cue from legendary acts like Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder, the Breedings-Dustin, Kelly, Patrick, Carnell and Bryan, are ready to make their own mark in history with their debut album for the very same Motown label.

B5 has developed a crowd-pleasing, choreographed show that highlights their abilities to entertain a loyal fan base that follows them on all the popular social media networks. Their first single, “Say Yes,” juxtaposes old-school street corner doo-wop with rich, flavorful harmonies. Produced by U.K.-based Harmony Samuels, who has worked with the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Keyshia Cole, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Fantasia and Ariana Grande, “Say Yes” shows a group which has learned its lessons and has now put that experience to good use, effortlessly taking their R&B roots and turning them into cutting-edge, modern Urban pop.

“Our tastes have changed as we’ve gotten older,” explains Patrick. “We wanted to revamp the whole B5 sound.”

“It was a long process, but I feel this is a turning point for us” adds Dustin. “I think the album shows a great deal of growth. We were able to get a lot of input from the label and our A&R exec, Ezekiel Lewis. On these new songs, you can definitely hear the maturity in our voices.”

B5?s patented overlapping harmonies and soaring falsettos create a sound that could’ve come from the original Motown label, where B5 members were first influenced by the likes of smoothly choreographed artists like Michael Jackson, Jackson 5, New Edition, New Kids On the Block, Backstreet Boys, NSync and others. Each member brings their own special vocal quality to the mix, and when combined with Kelly’s rap interludes, B5 incorporates plenty of hip-hop influences too.

“It’s a huge part of what we do,” explains Patrick, pointing to band favorites from Run-DMC and OutKast to Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa. “Plus, we dance a lot, so we always want those drum patterns and beats that make you move in the club.”

The five brothers grew up in Kansas in very tough circumstances, before moving to Florida, then Atlanta, where they’ve made their home since 2001. Originally signed to P. Diddy’s Bad Boy label, B5 released a pair of albums in their self-titled 2005 effort, which hit the Billboard Top 20. In 2007 they released “Don’t Talk, Just Listen,” which also went Top 10 on the R&B charts, producing singles like “All I Do,” “You Got Me”, “In my Bedroom” & “Hydrolics” featuring Bow Wow. They hit the road on the Scream Tour IV with Bow Wow and Omarion, also performing on national TV like BET’s 106 and Park, Soul Train, Regis & Kelly and Showtime at the Apollo. With their faces on every fanzine, the brothers even caused the shut-down of a Minneapolis mall when some 3000 screaming fans rushed the stage during a concert.

B5 is currently finishing up an album which shows how far they’ve come, and is a testament to the love and devotion they have for music and their fans.

“The good thing is that we started very young when we were discovered in 1998 by our manager Jim McMahan in St. Petersburg Florida. It has given us a chance to learn from our experiences,” something most artists don’t get to do” says Dustin. “We wanted to focus on the music, hone that down, and then get ready for the launch.”

“When we were younger, we didn’t quite understand how the whole process worked,” adds Patrick. “We had the time to sit down and map it out, and plan what we wanted to do.”

Being part of a family provides both incentive and a comfort level for the members of B5.

“We’re brothers, but we’re best friends, too,” says Patrick. “We’ve gotten even closer as we’ve grown older. We’re also very competitive with one another. We push ourselves to be better. That’s what helps us stay fresh. At the end of the day, we want to make a great record with classic, timeless songs.”

“I feel our growth has come naturally,” says Patrick. “Our tastes have changed and our fans have grown up with us.”

“I have the highest hopes and a lot of belief in my brothers and our entire support team, and of course, our fans,” concludes Dustin. “We just want to accomplish anything and everything there is to do with music.

Just “Say Yes” to B5.