In my almost four years at Penn State, there have been about 30-plus musicians to perform within the State College area. Out of those who have come, only four can be considered within the R&B genre: Jeremih, Toosii, Pink Sweats, and, most recently, Leon Thomas III.

After seeing Leon Thomas’s performance at Eisenhower Auditorium and the overwhelming reception that he received, I believe that Penn State is on the surface of a seemingly untapped market: R&B artists.

R&B is one of the most popular genres in the world, but the school has seemed to pool from primarily Hip Hop and country artists when it comes time to decide on who to bring up for a performance.

Now, I am entirely aware of the complicated process it takes to bring an artist to the school in the first place, but I wouldn’t be petitioning for this if the resources weren’t there, and in Penn State’s case, they most certainly are.

Over the past four years, Penn State has brought world-renowned artists to town such as Drake, Travis Scott, Billie Eilish, Luke Combs, and so many more. When it comes to star power, the school is not fighting an uphill battle in terms of whom they can bring.

Additionally, the R&B genre is not lacking in terms of star power as SZA, Victoria Monet, Summer Walker, and Bryson Tiller are all major players within today’s music industry. The options don’t stop at the big players in the industry either, as smaller artists such as Giveon, 6lack, Coco Jones, and Muni Long would give great shows to more intimate audiences, much like Leon Thomas did.

Now, R&B isn’t the most flashy or energetic genre, but in my opinion, it doesn’t have to be. R&B is about soul, songwriting, and emotion, all of which can lead to an amazing show. Usher’s Super Bowl performance two years ago is a prime example of the essence of R&B shining on a big stage.

The biggest concern and the reason why I think R&B has not been tapped into by Penn State is the demand from the students and whether these performers would sell well, but I have witnessed firsthand the excitement from students at the possibility of these names coming to the school.

I’m aware that not every student listens to R&B, but those that do would be very appreciative of the school catering to a different audience and bringing high-caliber R&B artists to the school. The genre is culturally relevant, and Penn State can make a statement by booking these artists to come here in the future.

Ultimately, Penn State needs to consider these two things when it comes to the idea of bringing R&B to school: Respect and Belief. R&B needs to be respected as the legitimate genre it is and there needs to be belief that if Penn State invests into the genre, the student body will respond accordingly.