Brooklyn Soul Powerhouse Bette Smith Releases Album ‘Goodthing’ 

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“Take a listen to vocalist Bette Smith and you’re going to feel a lot of things. The funk. The grit. And the rhythm of an artist who has spent a life in the trenches honing their craft.” - NPR/ WBGO

"...the next big-voiced soul sensation out of Brooklyn." - MOJO

"Like Betty Davis or Betty Wright before her, she imbues tracks with shingly, sawtoothed texture, capable of breaking off a high note with a throaty cry or scraping so low and wide that she threatens to put her bass player out of work." - BILLBOARD

"Swaggering soulful rock and roll sung with attitude, defiance, and a take-no-prisoners aesthetic." - AMERICAN SONGWRITER

(July 12, 2024) Today, Brooklyn born and bred soul powerhouse Bette Smith releases new album ‘Goodthing’. Produced by Grammy-winner Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, James Bay, Paulo Nutini, Sia), Goodthing marries gospel fervor with soul moxie to create something urgent and impossible to ignore. Led by Bette’s earth shaking vocals, the album is deeply personal, accounting stories of resilience and passion through hardship and neglect. The thirteen new, original songs were recorded and produced in London with Hogarth, who attests: “Bette is the real deal. Her delivery is the truth and comes straight from the heart.”

Bette spoke on the new album saying, "'Goodthing' is a project that is near to my heart. It's a personal album. Each song tells its own story and reflects elements of my life, but together, it forms a full, vivid picture that reveals many of my passions and struggles and successes. My sincere hope is that the music and words speak to people in their own lives and that listeners can relate on a human level. Most importantly, I just want it to bring joy and comfort and entertainment to people across the board - I am incredibly proud of this album and excited to share it with the world."

Bette grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, deeply influenced by her family's faith and church music. She continues to sing in her church choir. The new record features singles “Eternal Blessings,” a deeply emotional tale of friendship and faith, set to a mellowed soul beat, and title track & lead single  “Goodthing,” a groovy, anthemic track which has set the stage for the rest of the (descriptor) album. The album also reflects her complex relationship with her mother, who had bipolar disorder, with songs like “Neptune” and “Darkest Hour” exploring these challenges, and others like “Happiness” and “Beautiful Mess” highlighting positive aspects of her life. 

Bette has proven herself to be an artist of immense range, with performances inspired by soul singers Betty Davis and Betty Wright, and gospel icons Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland. Known for her "raspy," "sassy," and "soulful" voice, she has collaborated with artists like Patterson Hood and Luther Dickinson, earning praise from the New York Times, NPR, Billboard and more.