Photo illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Bobbi Rich
Brittany Howard helped define the music of the 2010s with Alabama Shakes, the band she famously fronted. Currently, she is creating genre-defying music as a solo artist. her second album, what to do now, which weaves together elements of soul, jazz, rock, R&B, and even house music, was a “natural” process to create, she says. “Living in the South is a different experience than in other parts of the country. It’s a different vibe,” Howard told me. “We have a very different culture than the rest of the country, so we’re always going to draw from that.” It’s firmly tied together by the meditative sounds of singing bowls, and when we meet in person, She looked as down to earth as she sings on the album, slipping into a velvety corner booth at Smith & Mills, one of Rockefeller Center’s many upscale establishments. Ta.
Since 2019, Howard has released his debut album. Jaime And then we went through a pandemic, a marriage, a divorce. She has done the healing work needed to traverse everything. Her energy is calm and confident, and there is no rush in her voice or demeanor. She is someone who knows she can get where she needs to be and she is an “IT” girl who has patience with herself and others.
How do you think living in Nashville influenced your artistry?
Honestly, I feel like I could live anywhere. I’m inspired a lot by what’s going on inside of me rather than what’s happening on the outside. These two can’t help but be linked, but that’s where I come from and how I see it.
Where do you go for inspiration?
What really inspires me is being outdoors alone. I like to fish, so I go to the river bends by myself, and I think that’s where I can really connect with myself.
Have you been fishing all your life?
My father taught me how to fish since I was four years old. He took us to a paid fishing spot. We go there and catch catfish and then you go and weigh the catfish and that’s what you pay. Then I took it home and had it fried.
Now I like fly fishing, so I go to quiet places like the Duck River, Caney Fork River, and Harpeth River. I sometimes go to Percy Priest’s, but only on weekdays.
How do you define an “it” girl?
An “It” girl is someone who is herself, takes pride in who she is, treats others kindly, and does her job. what is that? — confidence, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. You know what I’m trying to say. “It” girls are unstoppable and do not look in other people’s lanes. That’s the “it” girl for me.
Which musician would you classify as an “it” girl?
Tina Turner. Nina Simone. Aretha Franklin. Angelique Kidjo. There may be more. I’m there for now.
What makes them “it” girls?
Well, Nina Simone’s popularity as an icon today is surprising. But how she was treated when she was alive tells a different story. She has always been a great performer and pianist. First and foremost, she always worked on her craft. She’s interesting when you look at old footage. How people were interested in her but she thought she had a problem. Maybe it’s true. But she was her. And she made her amazing music and stayed true to her own artistry.
I would like to say the same about Tina. She wonders how many times Tina had to pick herself up, how many times did Tina fail and have to get back up again, or how many times did she literally get knocked down and have to start over with her life? What an inspiration it was for her to tell her own story and make her comeback. And what that means for all the women out there: You can not only escape your abuser, but you can become strong enough to be so much more.
As for Angélique Kidjo, she does a lot for people in Africa, people from different countries and from different walks of life. She has performed in front of the United Nations. Although she is a politically involved person, she is a humanist. She represents people who are going through it. You can also see how she holds her own so strongly. I think she’s “it”.
Is she someone you would like to collaborate with?
If it makes sense to do so in the future, I would definitely like to do so. Maybe the right one will appear. But for now, I’m just going to admire her. she is a great artist.
Do you consider yourself an “it” girl?
absolutely. I meet all of those qualities. Yeah. By chance, I think I may have created an unlikely celebrity.
Tell me more.
She goes up there, wins five or six Grammys, leaves a hugely popular band, all in the name of art — and is unperturbed by what the industry decides to do or not do with her. To some people, I don’t think I’d be a good candidate. . I just do what I have to do. Because this is my mission on earth, and I only hope that the angels will guide me.
Who or what inspires your style?
I love Sun Ra. I think fashion is so wonderful. I don’t walk around dressed like that, but that’s on stage. In terms of the way I walk and what I look like on a daily basis, I’m probably a tour guide at an Australian zoo. That’s usually the aesthetic I want to give: some kind of tour guide.
Have you ever been to an Australian zoo?
oh yeah. Terry Irwin himself gave me a tour of Australia Zoo. One of the best days of my life with him.
You always have great glasses. Where do I find frames?
It’s a lot of different places. I just talk to people. They show up with cool frames and you think, “Oh my god, where did you get that?” Then I’ll go see if I can find something for myself. Not necessarily designer frames. It’s just whatever looks cool. But what I want to do is start my own line of glasses.
How has your style and self-expression evolved with your inner identity and your relationship to your queer identity?
The point here is that I’m actually very inspired by Generation Z right now. Because they just walk around wearing whatever they want. But it’s confidence. actually start doing it. Whatever I want. I’m thinking, you know those training pants from the ’90s? That. And kind of… What do you call it when someone illegally prints a brand?
Duck?
I want to wear a lot of things that are tricked out, like fake Louis Vuitton rain jackets. That kind of thing is great for me. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the older you get, the more confident you become and the less you care about what other people think about what you wear. Therefore, anything goes. I think it’s fun. When you wake up in the morning, it’s like this: Who do you want to be today? These days, it’s almost always a school teacher or park ranger. I’ll wear those clothes.
Where do you like to shop?
There’s Elizabeth Susan, a designer from Nashville. I really like her stuff. This is her jacket. I’m also wearing her pants now. I like supporting small labels. I’m definitely an online shopper. Reformed. It was getting out of control. I had to clean out my closet. Someone at Goodwill will probably be very happy. Good American has some pretty good denim and is reasonably priced.
Do you have any early memories of things you heard or saw that were really generative for you as an artist, things that made you want to sing or play guitar?
When I was 11 years old and in fifth grade, I had a music teacher. Her name was Miss Mosley. It was the first time she had seen a woman play the guitar. She had never seen a woman play the guitar. As soon as she picked it up and started playing it was the Beatles song “Blackbird.” I immediately thought: Okay, that’s what I’m doing. I’m going to get a guitar.
Where do you like to go?
I don’t. I like staying at home. I like going to the movies. I like going outdoors. Sometimes we do something extreme, like play at the Kennedy Center, play in Thailand, or once upon a time play at the White House. So, after doing that, I just want to stay home and scoop the trash can, stand on the deck, and plant flowers. It’s pretty basic.
What is your ideal night?
I’m lying on the couch with my girlfriend watching this movie. Raised in Arizona. It’s such an interesting and nostalgic thing. I placed the cat on the left and the puppy dog on the right. Everyone is sleeping peacefully. I got a BC5000 VAPE and it’s burning like hell. Then I baked the pizza in the oven. It’s a pretty cold night.
How many pets do you have? What is pet travel?
3 cats, 2 dogs. I lived on a farm. I think we started with dogs, then we also had geese, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. and pheasants, guinea pigs, peacocks, goats, pigs, and cats.
Now I got the old Winnie. Her name is Wanda. I got a brand new weenie. Her name is Wilma. she’s a terror. She had an orange cat named Arthur, an orange cat named Bobby Brown, and a gray cat named Etta James.
Do you have a favorite movie theater to go to for a rare movie night?
bell coat. As far as arthouse theater goes, that’s all we got. I went to the Opry Regal.we went and saw Love Lies Breeding. It’s kind of symbolic. There’s gore.
What are the “IT” girl essentials that every “IT” girl must have?
ChapStick anytime. You must have a ChapStick on you at all times. Another must-have item would probably be his Blue Raspberry VAPE. Or watermelon ice cream. Both are kind of “it”. I’m just playing.
As an earth sign, I would like to ask you about the album’s opening song.earth sign” It’s a very nice and meditative song. Why did you decide to start with that?
Look, I’m trying to do a magic spell. I wanted to put this first because I know at least the first track will play. So it’s a mantra. At the time, I was single and trying to get into a long-term relationship. Because I just Damn, I’ll never be able to experience that again. So for me, the Earth sign is like a magic spell for this person. I thought I was handling it wisely.
Were you trying to find out the date of the Earth constellations? Or rather, This is a sign to the earth?
I needed someone with the energy of an earth sign. The person I’m currently dating is an Aquarius, but she’s a Capricorn and a Taurus. I’ll take it.
The sound bowl throughout the album is very down to earth. Do you meditate?
i will do it. In 2022, I learned how to do Transcendental Meditation. So I opened up to it. To be a functioning human being, I do it twice a day.I won’t say it usually. But yes, I think it’s important. meditation It’s a word that gets a certain kind of reaction from people. It’s scary – it’s for a Goo Goo Gaga person or something. There’s a lot of meditative stuff. Where I’m from, some people like to work on cars without anyone bothering them. For a long time I went fishing and that was my meditation. It’s always okay if someone can find some tranquility.
Your voice has become the defining sound of the 2010s. As you continue to evolve as an artist, what do you think about those days? Do you feel like Alabama Shakes still has a place in your heart? As you evolve beyond that, it’s something you leave behind. Do you want to go?
It’s great, great music that I’ve made, and in some cases, we’ve made together, and I’m really proud of it. I love those songs. But I’m also an inquisitive and curious person. I believe that life is an adventure of your own choosing. What if there was no safety net and you made everything yourself? What would it sound like? What would it be like? I’m very curious and that’s my life. As far as I know, you get it. I don’t know. You haven’t seen it yet…or maybe you have.
Are you saying you had a psychic experience?
No, I’m just saying that reincarnation may actually exist. who knows? I am convinced that there is more going on than meets the eye. That’s for sure.
