Jill Scott Returns With New Album For The Grown & Glowing
Black History Month already comes with its own rhythm, soul and ancestral bassline but this year, Jill Scott decided to slide us a gift that sparked “conversation, verbal upliftment and stimulation” After more than a decade away from the album game, Mrs. Jilly from Philly is back with To whom it may concern, a 19-track body of work that dropped Friday, February 13, and yes, it was worth the wait.
The album is a rich blend of soul, R&B, hip hop and spoken word, basically a sonic gumbo that only Jill Scott could stir without wasting a drop. They also tap a lineup that bridges generations and vibes, including Tierra WhackToo $hort, en JID. This album is not wrapped in. It's grown, playful, reflective, and knows exactly who it's talking to.
AS for her fans? Oh, they showed up right away. Over at Trieden, the praise poured in heavily. Journalist @thedanielleyoung wrote, “I love that you can tell when Jill Scott is smiling when she's singing.”
And those are straight facts. If you've rocked with Jill since Who Is Jill Scott?, you know exactly when she smiles mid-lyric. Her expressions don't just stay on her face; they live in the music. Another listener, @kristen.gray, summed it up perfectly: “Being in your 30s with a Jill Scott album rollout is a gift. It's sexy, spiritual, so beautiful to behold.” No lie detected.
Scott explained that even the title, To Whom This May Concern came to her like a sigh of relief – a quiet exhalation that signaled the album would land exactly where it needed to. It's for who it's for. And she hopes listeners walk away fed, sustained and perhaps even healed.
In a sit-down with BillboardScott opened up about why it took her over ten years to release a new project. She made it clear: “It wasn't a creative block, it was a creative break.” Life had to be lived. From navigating premenopause to raising a teenager, she chose to be human before being an artist. As she put it, Jill Scott doesn't live in her house. No one calls her home like that. That separation is what allows her to replenish herself so that she can return to music when the time is right.
“It's the energy that follows me around the house: in the shower, when I'm cleaning, making a bed. But I had to take a moment from that to live life. I'm, you know, human. So of course, there are all kinds of things like perimenopause. That's interesting. I have a teenager now, which is different than ever before.”
And for the fans who have been begging the universe (and NPR) for years? Your prayers have been answered. Jill Scott is officially pulling up Tiny Desk Concertspremiere Monday, January 16. Black History Month blessings, indeed.
To Whom This May Concern is now streaming on all platforms. Press play, light a candle or anything else of your choice, pour some wine, and let Jill do what Jill does best: remind us who we are.
