Free Nationals

11553 fans

Formed in the late 2000s in Los Angeles, California, Free Nationals is an R&B band best known for their work with Anderson.Paak and Mac Miller. Originally founded by guitarist Jose Rios and keyboardist Ron Avant after meeting at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, where they studied alongside Anderson.Paak. The duo was soon joined by bassist Kelsey Gonzales and drummer Callum Connor and they named themselves Free Nationals. The band often serves as Anderson.Paak’s backing band, appearing with him on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in August 2016. The video of the performance is the most viewed in the series and brought worldwide attention to the band. Free Nationals released their first single, “Beauty & Essex” (featuring Daniel Caesar and Unknown Mortal Orchestra) in 2018. Their next single, “Time” (featuring Mac Miller and Kali Uchis), was released in 2019 and earned the band additional attention since it was the first posthumous release featuring Mac Miller, who died the previous year. Free Nationals released three additional singles – “On Sight”, “Eternal Light”, and “Shibuya” – in 2019 before releasing their self-titled debut album at the end of the year. Free Nationals was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021.

Top tracks

01	Beauty & Essex	Free Nationals	Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)			04:37
	Writer: Ashton Simmonds / Composers: Ashton Simmonds
10	Eternal Light	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:13
	Composers: J. Mcnaughton - M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
01	Gangsta	Free Nationals	Gangsta			03:14
	Composers: Rakim Mayers - Brandon Anderson - Matthew Merisola - Jose Rios - DOMi - JD BECK
01	Time	Free Nationals	Time			03:30
	Writer: BERNARDO VASCONCELOS COTTA DE ALMEIDA FESCH / Composers: BERNARDO VASCONCELOS COTTA DE ALMEIDA FESCH
03	On Sight	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			04:09
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - D. Route - M. Byun
04	Shibuya	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:16
	Composers: S. Bennett - J. Rios - M. Merisola - R. Avant - K. Gonzalez - Nicolas Eaholtz
06	Gidget	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:39
	Composers: B. Anderson - M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
13	The Rivington	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:36
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - A. Worthy - D. Price - J. Wrice
05	Apartment	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:04
	Composers: Tim van Berkestijn - M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
05	Apartment (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:04
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
01	Obituaries	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:20
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - S. Husayn
03	On Sight (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:28
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
02	Beauty & Essex (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			05:08
	Writer: Ashton Simmonds / Composers: Ashton Simmonds
04	Shibuya (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			02:17
	Writer: DONALD E LEWIS / Composers: DONALD E LEWIS
07	RENE	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:30
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - M. Byun
09	Cut Me a Break	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			01:56
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - C. Harris Jr
12	Lester Diamond	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:47
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
11	Oslo	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:34
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - M. Byun
01	Shibuya	Free Nationals	Shibuya			02:24
	Composers: Nicolas Eaholtz
06	Gidget (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:39
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
04	Don't Call	Kun	KUN			04:09
	Composers: Kun - Andrew Neely - Ariana Wong - Dan Farber
09	Cut Me a Break (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			01:56
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
08	Time (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:30
	Writer: António Mão de Ferro / Composers: António Mão de Ferro

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Discography

Albums

Free Nationals

2019 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 13-12-2019

Free Nationals

01	Obituaries	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:20
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - S. Husayn
02	Beauty & Essex	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			04:37
	Composers: A. Simmonds - M. Merisola - D. Pimental - K. Gonzalez - J. Rios - R. Nielson
03	On Sight	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			04:09
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - D. Route - M. Byun
04	Shibuya	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:16
	Composers: S. Bennett - J. Rios - M. Merisola - R. Avant - K. Gonzalez - Nicolas Eaholtz
05	Apartment	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:04
	Composers: Tim van Berkestijn - M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
06	Gidget	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			03:39
	Composers: B. Anderson - M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez
07	RENE	Free Nationals	Free Nationals			02:30
	Composers: M. Merisola - R. Avant - J. Rios - K. Gonzalez - M. Byun

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Free Nationals (Instrumentals)

2020 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 13-12-2019

Free Nationals (Instrumentals)

01	Obituaries (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			02:20
	Writer: Kelsey Gonzalez / Composers: Kelsey Gonzalez
02	Beauty & Essex (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			05:08
	Writer: Ashton Simmonds / Composers: Ashton Simmonds
03	On Sight (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:28
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
04	Shibuya (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			02:17
	Writer: DONALD E LEWIS / Composers: DONALD E LEWIS
05	Apartment (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:04
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
06	Gidget (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			03:39
	Writer: Ron Avant / Composers: Ron Avant
07	RENE (Instrumental)	Free Nationals	Free Nationals (Instrumentals)			02:30
	Writer: DONALD E LEWIS / Composers: DONALD E LEWIS

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Singles

Gangsta

2024 APESHIT, LLC. / EMPIRE: 23-02-2024

Gangsta

01	Gangsta	Free Nationals	Gangsta			03:14
	Composers: Rakim Mayers - Brandon Anderson - Matthew Merisola - Jose Rios - DOMi - JD BECK

Shibuya

2019 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 08-11-2019

Shibuya

01	Shibuya	Free Nationals	Shibuya			02:24
	Composers: Nicolas Eaholtz

Eternal Light

2019 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 15-10-2019

Eternal Light

01	Eternal Light	Free Nationals	Eternal Light			03:13
	Writer: Jamar Rolando McNaughton / Composers: Jamar Rolando McNaughton

On Sight (feat. JID, Kadhja Bonet & MIKNNA)

2019 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 20-09-2019

On Sight (feat. JID, Kadhja Bonet & MIKNNA)

01	On Sight	Free Nationals	On Sight (feat. JID, Kadhja Bonet & MIKNNA)			04:09
	Writer: Destin Choice Route / Composers: Destin Choice Route

Time

2019 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 12-06-2019

Time

01	Time	Free Nationals	Time			03:30
	Writer: BERNARDO VASCONCELOS COTTA DE ALMEIDA FESCH / Composers: BERNARDO VASCONCELOS COTTA DE ALMEIDA FESCH

Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

2018 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 10-10-2018

Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

01	Beauty & Essex	Free Nationals	Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)			04:37
	Writer: Ashton Simmonds / Composers: Ashton Simmonds

Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

2018 OBE, LLC / EMPIRE: 08-10-2018

Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

01	Beauty & Essex	Free Nationals	Beauty & Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra)			04:41
	Writer: José Ríos / Composers: José Ríos

Featured in

CHUPACABRA

2024 50Million / Mad Scientist / EMPIRE: 14-06-2024

CHUPACABRA

01	CHUPACABRA	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			02:57
	Writer: Jason Martin / Composers: Jason Martin
02	DERN & SPRUCE	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			02:02
	Writer: Jason Martin / Composers: Jason Martin
03	EAZY CALL	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			02:18
	Writer: HARLEM TAYLOR / Composers: HARLEM TAYLOR
04	COLD ASS 2 STEP	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			03:02
	Writer: Jason Martin / Composers: Jason Martin
05	MEET THE WHOOPS	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			02:29
	Writer: David Marvin Blake / Composers: David Marvin Blake
06	SHE'S NOT AROUND, PT. II	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			03:15
	Writer: Sean House / Composers: Sean House
07	GURBS & YOUNGS	JasonMartin	CHUPACABRA			03:28
	Writer: Dominique Allen Sanders / Composers: Dominique Allen Sanders

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KUN

(P) 2026 Shenhe Media Limited under exclusive license to 88rising Records LLC: 06-02-2026

KUN

01	Honour	Kun	KUN			03:01
	Composers: Kun - Benjamin 'Fryars' Garrett
02	Deadman	Kun	KUN			03:55
	Composers: Kun - fussy - Jacob Ray - Jonathan Xavier Cunningham - Kurtis Wells - Mark McKenna
03	Jasmine	Kun	KUN			03:57
	Composers: Kun - Andres Felipe Rebellon - Andrew Neely - Tyler Acord
04	Don't Call	Kun	KUN			04:09
	Composers: Kun - Andrew Neely - Ariana Wong - Dan Farber
05	Back in Time	Kun	KUN			02:33
	Composers: Kun - Andre Wollrabe - Kurtis Wells - Tyler Acord
06	What a Day	Kun	KUN			03:20
	Composers: Kun - fussy - Jonathan Xaiver Cunningham - Justin Tecson - Mark McKenna
07	Night Into Night (Interlude)	Kun	KUN			02:06
	Composers: Kun - Jacob Reske

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LEGEND

℗ 2022 John Legend Music, Inc., under exclusive license to Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.: 09-09-2022

LEGEND

01	Rounds	John Legend	LEGEND			03:57
	Writer: Rogét Chahayed - Andrew DeRoberts - Drew Love - John Stephens - Daniel Klein - Matthew Campfield - William Leonard Roberts II - Tommy Tiki Torch / Composers: Rogét Chahayed - Andrew DeRoberts - Drew Love - John Stephens - Daniel Klein - Matthew Campfield - William Leonard Roberts II - Tommy Tiki Torch
02	Waterslide	John Legend	LEGEND			03:06
	Writer: Eren Cannata - John Stephens - Julia Michaels - Justin Tranter - Bernard "Harv" Harvey / Composers: Eren Cannata - John Stephens - Julia Michaels - Justin Tranter - Bernard "Harv" Harvey
03	Dope	John Legend	LEGEND			02:39
	Writer: Ian Kirkpatrick - Ryan Tedder - Charlie Puth - John Stephens - Destin Route / Composers: Ian Kirkpatrick - Ryan Tedder - Charlie Puth - John Stephens - Destin Route
04	Strawberry Blush	John Legend	LEGEND			03:19
	Writer: Matt Merisola - Kelsey Gonzalez - José Ríos - John Stephens - Drew Love - Melvin Moore - Ron Avant - Ryan Tedder / Composers: Matt Merisola - Kelsey Gonzalez - José Ríos - John Stephens - Drew Love - Melvin Moore - Ron Avant - Ryan Tedder
05	Guy Like Me	John Legend	LEGEND			02:41
	Writer: Ryan Tedder - Andrew DeRoberts - John Stephens / Composers: Ryan Tedder - Andrew DeRoberts - John Stephens
06	All She Wanna Do	John Legend	LEGEND			03:13
	Writer: Ryan Tedder - Zach Skelton - Michael Pollack - John Stephens - Jake Torrey - Tia Scola - Jeff Halavacs - Stefan Johnson - Jordan K. Johnson / Composers: Ryan Tedder - Zach Skelton - Michael Pollack - John Stephens - Jake Torrey - Tia Scola - Jeff Halavacs - Stefan Johnson - Jordan K. Johnson
07	Splash	John Legend	LEGEND			03:54
	Writer: Akeel Henry - Kevin Ekofo - Anthony M Jones - John Stephens - Drew Love - Melvin Moore - Tyrone Griffin, Jr. / Composers: Akeel Henry - Kevin Ekofo - Anthony M Jones - John Stephens - Drew Love - Melvin Moore - Tyrone Griffin, Jr.

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Through The Night

℗ 2023 Roc Nation Records, LLC: 19-05-2023

Through The Night

01	Through The Night	Maeta	Through The Night			04:18
	Writer: Jose Manuel Rios - Maeta Hall - David "Lucky Daye" Brown - Michael "Hunnid" McGregor - Olivia Waithe - Derrus Rachel - Sean Fenton / Composers: Jose Manuel Rios - Maeta Hall - David "Lucky Daye" Brown - Michael "Hunnid" McGregor - Olivia Waithe - Derrus Rachel - Sean Fenton

FORTHEWORLD

310SOUND: 09-06-2020

FORTHEWORLD

01	FATHER	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			05:40
02	on fire!	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			04:22
03	MARIA	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			03:44
04	JUNE 9TH	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			03:52
05	benny!	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			02:25
06	ALLSTAR	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			02:54
07	DECIDE	Rae Khalil	FORTHEWORLD			04:18

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En Route

℗ 2024 Durand Bernarr / DSING RECORDS / Create Music Group Inc.: 31-05-2024

En Route

01	Unknown	Durand Bernarr	En Route			03:51
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Chuck Harmony - Claude Kelly - Marc Moore / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Chuck Harmony - Claude Kelly - Marc Moore - Durand Bernarr - Egberto Foster Jr - Sam Hoffman
02	Fist Bump (feat. Free Nationals)	Durand Bernarr	En Route			03:32
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Kelsey M. Gonzalez - Matthew L. Merisola, Jose M. Rios - Ron J. Avant / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Kelsey M. Gonzalez - Matthew L. Merisola, Jose M. Rios - Ron J. Avant - Durand Bernarr - Free Nationals
03	GPS	Durand Bernarr	En Route			03:57
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Durand Bernarr - Egberto Foster Jr - Sam Hoffman
04	PIT STOP	Durand Bernarr	En Route			01:32
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Deshawn Jenkins / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Deshawn Jenkins - Durand Bernarr - Egberto Foster Jr - Sam Hoffman
05	Neutral	Durand Bernarr	En Route			03:28
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Claude Kelly / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Claude Kelly - Budda Foster - Chuck Harmony - Durand Bernarr - Egberto Foster Jr - Kayce Thompkins - Sam Hoffman
06	Must Be Nice	Durand Bernarr	En Route			03:46
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Durand Bernarr - Mars Today
07	Processing...	Durand Bernarr	En Route			02:52
	Writer: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr / Composers: Bernarr Durand Ferebee Jr - Christopher 'Buddafly WOLF' Bivins

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