Ari Lennox’s third full-length finds the Washington, D.C.-hailing R&B singer-songwriter parting ways with J. Cole’s Dreamville label after the release of 2019’s Shea Butter Baby and 2022’s age/sex/location. The title of Vacancy’s opening track, “Mobbin in DC,” suggests that Lennox is returning to her roots here, and sure enough, her first album for Interscope recalls the soulful aesthetic that made Shea Butter Baby an instant sensation with R&B listeners. Legendary hitmakers Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox (USHER, Mariah Carey), who previously threw in on age/sex/location single “Pressure,” return here for the velvety vibes of the title track as well as the gum-snapping gospel-pop of “Soft Girl Era.”