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Nov 26, 2019 By Christopher Roberts Brittany Howard

Brittany Howard, singer for Alabama Shakes, released her debut solo album, Jaime, back in September via ATO. Last night she stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform the album’s “History Repeats.” It was a funky and energetic performance on the show’s bigger outdoor stage. Watch it below. She also performed the song last week in the UK on the BBC music show Later… With Jools Holland and you can also watch that performance below.

Read our review of Jaime.

Previously Howard shared Jaime‘s first three singles, “History Repeats,” “Stay High,” and “He Loves Me,” as well as a video of her performing “He Loves Me” live. “He Loves Me” was one of our Songs of the Week. Then she shared another song from the album, “13th Century Metal,” as well as a video of her performing the song live. “13th Century Metal” was also one of our Songs of the Week. Then she stopped by NPR Music to perform four songs as part of their Tiny Desk Concert series: “Stay High,” “Georgia,” “Baby,” and “Goat Head.”

Howard’s sister inspired the album’s title. She taught Howard to play piano and write poetry, but passed away from cancer when the sisters were teenagers.

“The title is in memoriam, and she definitely did shape me as a human being,” says Howard in a press release. “But, the record is not about her. It’s about me. I’m pretty candid about myself and who I am and what I believe. Which is why I needed to do it on my own.”

In regard to branching out with a solo album, Howard had this to say: “I turned 30 and I was like, ‘What do I want the rest of my life to look like?’ Do I want to play the same songs until I’m 50 and then retire, or do I do something that’s scarier for me? Do I want people to understand me and know me, do I want to tell them my story? I’m very private, but my favorite work is when people are being honest and really doing themselves.”

Of “History Repeats,” Howard says: “‘History Repeats’ is as much a personal song as it is a song about us as a human species. Our times of success may propel us forward, but our repeating failures hold us back from evolving into harmony.”

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