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Oct 15, 2019 By Christopher Roberts Alabama Shakes

Brittany Howard, singer for Alabama Shakes, released her debut solo album, Jaime, back in September via ATO. Now she has stopped by NPR Music to perform four songs as part of their Tiny Desk Concert series. For the uninitiated, Tiny Desk Concerts are stripped down sets recorded at the desk of Bob Boilen, the host of NPR’s All Songs Considered. Howard and her backing band performed “Stay High,” “Georgia,” “Baby,” and “Goat Head.” Watch the session 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.

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.”

Brittany Howard Tour Dates:

North America:

11/14 | Denver, CO | The Ogden Theater
11/15 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theater
11/18 | Seattle, WA | The Moore Theatre
11/19 | Vancouver, BC | The Commodore
11/20 | Portland, OR | Roseland
11/22 | San Francisco, CA | The Fillmore
11/23 | Oakland, CA | Fox Theater

International:

10/29 | Basel, CH | Baloise Session
11/2 | Bilbao, ES | BIME Live

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