Allison Russell - singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist
Allison Russell, a self-taught singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist, has garnered significant acclaim for her solo work in recent years. Her debut solo album, Outside Child, released in 2021, is a deeply moving reflection on her traumatic childhood in Montreal. The album serves as a powerful reclamation of her narrative, showcasing her journey from adversity to healing. Outside Child received widespread recognition, including three GRAMMY Award nominations, the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, and the 2022 Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year Award.
In 2023, Russell announced her second solo album, The Returner, set to release on September 8th. Co-produced with Dim Star (her partner JT Nero and Drew Lindsay), the album was recorded over Solstice week in December 2022 at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. The Returner features an all-female musical collective dubbed The Rainbow Coalition, including notable artists like Wendy & Lisa, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, and Hozier. This project marks a departure from the acoustic contours of her previous work, embracing a rhythm-first, genre-fluid approach that highlights Russell's expansive talent.
Russell's music is an amalgam of American roots, reflecting her diverse heritage as a Scottish-Grenadian-Canadian. She identifies as a mixed-heritage Black woman and emphasizes that music transcends national borders, much like the human spirit. Her artistry is influenced by various genres and writers, and she describes herself as "genre-fluid." Instruments like the clarinet and banjo have become conduits for her songwriting, allowing her to express her unique musical perspective.
Beyond her solo endeavors, Russell has collaborated with other artists to explore and reclaim historical musical narratives. In 2019, she joined Rhiannon Giddens in the all-female ensemble for the album Songs of Our Native Daughters, which delves into compositions written by Black artists during the minstrel era. This project aimed to excavate and reclaim music that, despite its association with negative historical contexts, holds artistic significance.
Throughout her career, Russell has used her platform to elevate, educate, and inspire. She curated the history-making Once And Future Sounds: Roots and Revolution set for the Newport Folk Festival in 2021 and organized the Love Rising All-Star benefit concert in support of LGBTQIA+ causes in Nashville. These efforts exemplify her commitment to using music as a tool for advocacy and change, solidifying her place among the most vital artists of her time.
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