Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill reclaims her strength on a deeply emotive new album, âLetters From A Black Widowâ, which is out today via Regime Music Group.
An accompanying video for one of its key songs, âBlack Widowâ, has also been issued as a theatrical recreation of the jaw-dropping track.
âBlack Widow’ finds Hill confronting the malign label that haunted her for years, coined by tabloids and keyboard warriors because she had collaborated with two of pop musicâs biggest ever stars – Michael Jackson and Prince – shortly before their deaths. She struggled in the wake of undeserved hatred for years before recently finding the emotional capacity to confront, reflect and write about her experience.
âFor years the Black Widow was such a dark presence in my life that it was too looming and intimidating to even talk about,â explains Hill. However, a break from touring in 2020 provided her with the time and space for a momentous reckoning. âBeing forced to stop allowed me to reach a deeper place, to really marinate and figure out whatâs at my core, what I really needed to talk about. I found I had the courage and strength to face all this â to be authentic, to dive into the whole experience and turn an ocean of darkness into expressive fire.â
A New York Times interview published on 20th April which sees Hill discussing the âBlack Widowâ tag in depth can be read HEREÂ
The songâs parent album is a formidable battle cry that dives into Hillâs stories of discovery, resistance and redemption, bonded together with the soul, funk and blues foundations that have become her signature sound. Hill provides much of the instrumentation herself, including self-taught electric guitar, but it is not a totally solo endeavour, as her band includes her parents (renowned bassist Robert âPeeweeâ Hill and keyboardist Michiko Hill), while she is also joined by John Staten (drums and percussion), Daniel Chae (strings) and a group of friends on backing vocals.
The album includes the singles âRunaway Trainâ, âFlameâ and âDame de la LumiĂšreâ, and is the follow-up to âBaby, Iâm Hollywood!â (2021), which garnered widespread critical acclaim and was described by Record Collector as âbreathtakingly kaleidoscopicâ, while Echoes proclaimed it âAlbum of the Yearâ.
LETTERS FROM A BLACK WIDOW
TRACKLISTING
1Â One Of The Bad Ones
2Â Flame
3Â My Whole Life Is In The Wrong Key
4Â We Are The Power
5Â Black Widow
6Â Touch
7Â Dame De La Lumiere
8Â Let Me Be Your Mother
9Â You Got It Kid
10Â Runaway Train
11Â Downtown Boogie
12Â More Than Love
Hill and her band are touring extensively in support of âLetters From A Black Widowâ, with current North American dates followed by a month of shows in Europe that conclude in London on 8th June:Â
07.05.24Â STAVANGER (NO) Maijazz Festival
08.05.24Â TRONDHEIM (NO) Trondheim Jazz Festival
09.05.24Â HAMAR (NO) Hamar Jazz Festival
10.05.24Â SANDVIKA (NO) Baerum Kulturhus
11.05.24Â STOCKHOLM (SE) Fasching
15.05.24 Â ĂREBROÂ (SE) Makieriet
17.05.24Â COPENHAGEN (DK) DR Concert Hall
19.05.24 SCHĂPPINGEN (DE) Blues Festival Schöppingen
21.05.24Â ZĂRICH (CH) Kaufleuten
22.05.24 Â INNSBRUCK (AT) Treibhaus
23.05.24Â RUBIGEN (CH) MĂŒhle Hunziken
24.05.24Â TĂBINGEN (DE) Sudhaus
26.05.24 Â WEERT (NL) Poppodium Q-FactoryÂ
29.05.24Â SINT-NIKLAAS (BE) De Casino Concertzaal
30.05.24Â PARIS (FR) New Morning
01.06.24Â WEIZ (AT) Jazz Festival Weiz
04.06.24Â ALMERIA (ES) Clasijazz
06.06.24Â ANTALYA (TR) Akra Jazz Festival
07.06.24 Â HAMBURG (DE) Elbjazz Festival
08.06.24 Â LONDON (UK) Bush Hall
tickets
Official Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram