Lady Blackbird on activism and new single Woman becoming an anthem of female empowerment
SHE’s been called the Grace Jones of jazz and been compared to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.
And when she appeared on Graham Norton’s BBC One chatshow last year, guests Taylor Swift and Bono were blown-away by her performance.
Lady Blackbird sounds like a superstar and with her peroxide afro and flamboyant dresses, she looks like one too.
So, it’s no surprise she’s hot property right now after picking up Best International Jazz Act at last year’s Jazz FM Awards.
Her current single Woman is an anthem of female empowerment and to celebrate this week’s International Women’s Day.
“Being a woman, it sometimes feels that we are going backwards,” she says. “It really does feel like we might go to times like The Handmaid’s Tale. Saying that doesn’t sound so far-fetched. It’s quite scary.”
Lady Blackbird spoke out about how angry she was when last year the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade — the legisalation that gave women across America the right to have an abortion.
As a queer, black woman, activism has become important to the jazz and soul singer whose real name is Marley Munroe.
“Woman is perfect for what it says. It is just perfect for that moment,” she tells me of the song which appears on the deluxe version of Black Acid Soul, her debut album which was released in 2021 to critical acclaim.
Song about struggles
“Woman was actually supposed to be saved for album two, and we had the whole concept with me naked on the cover. Then we were putting out the Deluxe, and they asked us to write a few new songs, some new material for it and it just seemed right to put Woman on there.
“We recorded the video, right before we left to go on tour and it is showing up soon after International Women’s Day — which is perfect.”
Activism is important to Lady Blackbird and while Woman has become a feminist anthem, recent single Feel It Comin’ is another powerful song about gender and sexuality inclusivity.
“Boy, it’s so important. I always say we need the freedom yourself without apology, of who you are,” she says proudly. “Being a part of the LGBT community, I want to express that in this song and tell that story. When we wrote that song and it took that direction and it’s such a message of freedom.
“The song makes me happy and when I’m feeling lousy or depressed, I read the positive comments from people and it makes me feel better. It’s also my workout song, and it really gets me back in my step.”
Lady Blackbird’s gorgeous interpretation of Nina Simone’s Blackbird was released in May 2020, two days after the murder of George Floyd. A song about the struggles and pain of black women, it took on a new contemporary cultural meaning.
She says: “People took it to their hearts very, very naturally. Yeah. So that’s the way that happened. We weren’t sure if that timing was going to be correct but we released it and people took to it in a natural way.
“Just like the way Lady Blackbird happened. It wasn’t a marketing plan or anything — we were just in a studio listening to the song Blackbird. And somebody said, Lady with Blackbird and it was so random and felt right. I liked it.”
When we speak, Lady Blackbird is in Geneva with her next tour stop in Zurich.
On Tuesday she will be in the UK at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
If you caught her Radio 2’s Piano Room performance last month, you’ll know what a special voice she has. Her performances of Woman, Feel It Comin’ and a cover of Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You were some of the best of the series.
She says: “The tour has gone so well, I’m enjoying every time I perform live. Shepherd’s Bush Empire is going be amazing and I’m really looking forward to it.
Mother Goose rhymes
“I’m always excited to be back in London as I love London so much. And that show will send us off because it’s that last one of the tour. It will send us off in the right way.”
The daughter of evangelical parents, Lady Blackbird was born in New Mexico and started singing in church when she was just a toddler, standing on a crate so she could reach the microphone.
She says: “I was three and a half when I sang my first song in church with my grandmother playing the piano and my mother singing.
“As a child I always sang and I’ve always loved music.
“I remember music being a part of my life and played in the house.
“I’d sing Mother Goose rhymes and my mother would record me singing, realising that I could carry a tune.
“I was born in such a small little town, so musical outlets were little to non-existent and my parents went to church and it was an acceptable place to also sing and to star. So that’s what I did I started by singing in church and little gospel tunes.”
The then Marley Munroe sang everything from Christian music to alt-pop to rock and rap and co-wrote and sang backing vocals on two songs on Anastacia’s 2014 album Resurrection, including single Staring At The Sun.
“It definitely helped pay the bills,” she laughs. “I started singing professionally when I was about 12 when I signed to a Christian label in Nashville. But at that age, you start to find yourself, and I was figuring out what was for me and not for me. I realised that Christian music wasn’t the thing for me, so I had to wait out that deal until I was 18.”
Meeting musical partner, Grammy-nominated musician and producer Chris Seefried started Munroe on her journey as Lady Blackbird. Together they began writing songs where the focus was on Lady Blackbird’s powerful, emotive voice.
“We met on a random project and enjoyed the time together and found we worked quickly. Chris said we should stop all the big production and just focus on my voice. I just felt like I was flying again,” she says.
Vulnerability
“It really did feel like going back home as I started with just the voice and gospel and soul music.
“There’s a vulnerability and a truth there and that’s when we started talking about a project. Nobody’s Sweetheart started it and then I brought Blackbird to the table, and Chris loved it, and w started building from there.”
After her touring commitments are finished, Lady Blackbird is hoping to finish up her second album.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am for this album,” she says. “We’ve gotten the whole thing written but we haven’t done any recording yet. But we’ve got so many in the bag already I can’t wait to get started.
“I’ve been working towards this for so long, so now things are happening, every moment is a special moment.
“I’ve been on the road, living out of a suitcase and on trains, planes and automobiles, so to be out there, meeting people and hearing them say how much they love the album and see them react to the songs played live, is everything.”
- Woman is out now and Lady Blackbird plays London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Tuesday. For more information see ticketmaster.co.uk.