Judith Hill
Grammy-winning vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill is touring Europe this Spring, Summer and Autumn. Presenting her much anticipated new album 'Letters from a Black Widow', which was released on April 26, 2024 via Regime Music Group.
Judith Hill has established herself as one of the most dynamic and versatile artists in the music industry. From her breakout appearance on 'The Voice' to collaborating with legends like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Prince, Judith's remarkable talent has earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base worldwide. Her music effortlessly blends elements of soul, funk, R&B, and pop, creating a sound that is uniquely her own.
‘Letters From A Black Widow’ follows Hill’s 2021 release, Baby, I’m Hollywood!, which garnered widespread critical acclaim and which SPIN described as “a funk-rock-soul scorcher.” If that album offered a rowdy coming-of-age tale of a mixed-race child of bohemian California, Letters from a Black Widow is a formidable battle cry – a soul/funk/gospel passion play that’s spectacularly written, arranged, and performed by Hill.
While Hill played many of the instruments – including electric guitar, which she taught herself to play since her last studio release – this project is not a strictly solo endeavor. It’s built on the unshakable musical foundation she has enjoyed for most of her life: Hill’s band includes her parents, bassist Robert “Peewee” Hill and keyboardist Michiko Hill. She’s also joined by John Staten (drums and percussion), Daniel Chae (strings) and a group of formidable friends, who contribute background vocals.
If Hill’s previous album, Baby, I’m Hollywood, was the rowdy coming-of-age tale of a mixed-race child of bohemian California, Letters from a Black Widow is a formidable battle cry – an album-length soul/funk/gospel passion play that’s spectacularly written, arranged, and performed. The new 12 song record, ‘Letters From A Black Widow’, presents a riveting story - from private pain to communal transcendence - and is her most soul-bearing work to date.
Anyone who’s followed Judith Hill’s story will recognize Letters from a Black Widow as one jaw-dropper of an album title. The tabloid-coined phrase “Black Widow” arose after the overdose deaths of her two star-making collaborators, Michael Jackson and Prince. It became a term of abuse that internet trolls hurled at the celebrated artist, driving conspiracy theories and shame campaigns – trauma that nearly ended a career that includes a Grammy for her role in the Oscar-winning documentary film “20 Feet from Stardom.”
“For years the Black Widow was such a dark presence in my life that was too looming and intimidating to even talk about,” Hill says. But a year into the pandemic, she had time and space for a momentous reckoning. “Being forced to stop allowed me to reach a deeper place, to really marinate and figure out what’s at my core, what I really needed to talk about. I found I had the courage and strength to face all this – to be authentic to my core, to dive into the whole experience, and turn an ocean of darkness into expressive fire.”
Her second single of the album ‘Flame’ showcases a powerful vocal and an incendiary musical arrangement, while lyrically the song stares down darkness and pain with a telling revelation about Hill's inner reserves: ‘Give me chaos and give me pain/but you can never kill my flame.’ The single garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone, Entertainment Tonight, and V Magazine, which praised, “‘Flame’ showcases Hill’s vocal prowess as well as her songwriting chops.”
“I am more resilient than I thought I was” explains Hill. “After every blow that knocks me to the ground, I discover an inner power that emerges stronger and more defiant than before. Like iron and steel, my core has become impenetrable. On my darkest days, I plug into the amp and hear the throbbing pulse of the guitar like a surge of energy reviving my spirit. I am convinced that I will never be defeated.”
The third single of the album 'Dame de la Lumière', premiered just in time for Women’s History Month, The track puts Judith’s raw emotions front and center as she serenades generations of powerful women, including her mother and grandmother. Not only is the track a love letter to the ladies of the light who raised her, but an empowering tribute to women everywhere!
“This is the story about my mother and my grandmother. These are two powerful women who taught me the meaning of perseverance,” Judith shares. “I remember how they overcame the impossible and survived because they were determined to be there for their families. Standing on their shoulders, I carry on. I close my eyes and see the faces of every woman in history who turned weeds into leaves of evergreen. They stand taller than the mountains. If they can do it, I can do it. Bad times make strong women! This is my mantra.”
„Stellar Powerhouse Vocals“
Rolling Stone Magazine
„'Flame' is a track with a very old soul... and a potentially timeless sense of style“
Real Gone Rocks
„This is a musician at the top of her game"
Jace Media Music
„Her sound is a compelling mix of piano balladry, vintage soul sweetness, and bold psychedelic funk/rock that packs a knockout punch"
Rock & Blues Muse
Judith Hill: Vocals, Guitar, Digital Grand Piano
Peewee Hill: Bass Guitar
Michiko Hill: Organ/Keyboard/Synth, Tour Manager
John Staten: Drums