Two years after releasing a dance album, Beyoncé is releasing a country album.
Legendary rapper Andre 3000 released an ambient flute album, his first album in nearly two decades.
Citing turning 50 and a recent divorce, high energy rapper/producer Lil Jon just released a meditation album.
U.K. rapper Little Simz just released a dance EP, featuring Jersey club and baile funk records.
Singer-songwriter Solange wants to release the tuba music she’s been working on.
There are many more examples of artists taking risks, potentially alienating swaths of their fan base to try something new.
I’m here for it.
One of my favorite things is to get a song from a familiar artist in unexpected genre.
Part of what makes an artist an artist (in my view) is not necessarily finding what works, what is successful and then replicating that over and over again.
It’s challenging new parts of their self. Letting themselves wander into a new realm, with no guarantees.
Every album should sound different if it’s what the artist wants.
It’s for the same reason that visual art retrospectives are insightful, wonderful archives. Seeing work over decades. Realizing that your favorite abstract painter started out doing portraiture work and pivoted.
The pivot stuck.
Your favorite mystery writer should try their hands at a romance novel. And vice versa.
To be alive is to reinvent yourself daily.
Songs I Listened to This Week
On the topic of Black country and related genres, here’s a Black Americana/roots playlist featuring some of my most favorite songs from modern-day Black artists spanning country/folk/blues/soul/bluegrass/gospel/rock.
This playlist will definitely be added to, but let’s start with these initial 20 or so songs.