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Feb 10, 2021 Dominique Fils-Aimé By Caleb Campbell Photography by Andreanne Gauthier

Dominique Fils-Aimé has been exploring the diverse roots of black culture in popular music with a trilogy of albums. Her first, Nameless, explored historical dispossession and loss through the blues. The second called back to Civil Rights-era jazz styles on Stay Tuned!, winning Fils-Aimé a Juno Award for “Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.” Now she is approaching the release of her third and final record in the trilogy, Three Little Words. Her latest record sees Dominique Fils-Aimé exploring simmering soul music and its power as a liberating force for social justice. Fils-Aimé has now shared the last single from the album, “Mind Made Up,” premiering a day early via Under the Radar.

Much like her previous singles, “Mind Made Up” calls back towards the soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, but continues to expand on Fils-Aimé’s well of influences. She takes a slightly different approach with her newest track, leaning away from the doo wop harmonies of “While We Wait” and the anthemic protest qualities of “Love Take Over.” Initially opening on layered acapella vocal harmonies, Fils-Aimé settles into a gentle bass-driven soul ballad, bolstered by an expressive brass accompaniment. Fils-Aimé herself centers the song around her powerful vocals, slowly ascending from smoky and understated to a triumphant finale backed by lush harmonies.

“Mind Made Up” follows a similar progression lyrically as Fils-Aimé breaks free from toxic relationships and stifling self-doubt, taking the first steps to chase her dreams. She gains in confidence and hope throughout the track, declaring by the end, “I’ve made up my mind / I’ll be good tomorrow / I’ve made up my mind / You won’t get to see me grow.” Dominique Fils-Aimé ends “Mind Made Up” confident and liberated, facing the world’s challenges with an self-assured sense of hope. It’s exactly the sort of empowering track just about everybody could use right now.

Fils-Aimé says of the song, “As we try to rid our lives of toxic relationships, striving to evict intrusive thoughts that occupy our minds is one of the biggest challenges. ‘Mind Made Up’ is an encouragement to accept that challenge in all its forms and manifestations. The dream of getting better comes with a leap of faith where we have to accept our vulnerabilities in order to get to the source of the problem. When we allow ourselves to fall into our emotions and accept that we have a problem, we can truly begin the arduous yet necessary task of bettering oneself.” Check out the song below and watch for Three Little Words, out February 12th via Ensoul Records.