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The track was originally recorded in 2019 by Our Native Daughters, the group which includes Amythyst, Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Allison Russell, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song. Produced by Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Amos Lee, Andrew Bird) and recorded at LA’s legendary Sound City Studioswith Blake Mills (Fiona Apple, Alabama Shakes, Bob Dylan) and Wendy Melvoin (Prince & The Revolution, Madonna, Neil Finn), the new version being released today departs from the mid-tempo and largely acoustic original, amplifying the track’s kinetic tension via stacked vocals and a wash of electric guitar. In her collision of political commentary and personal revelation, Amythyst infuses “Black Myself” with a potent new urgency.
LISTEN HERE
LYRIC VIDEO HERE & BELOW
“‘Black Myself’ is the first song I’ve written that was confrontational,” says Amythyst. “I’d always made it a point to sing songs that anybody could relate to, but this was something that had been welling up inside me for a long time. The reception of the song so far has given me hope that there are people out there who are ready to confront the shared trauma of racism, to look within ourselves and see how we might be perpetuating racist beliefs, and to do what is needed to create equality for all people.”
With an unforgettable voice that’s both unfettered and exquisitely controlled, Amythyst’s ability to cross boundaries is born from struggle. Growing up a Black and LGBTQ+ woman in the Bible Belt, she experienced severe social anxiety, grief, alienation - and ultimately, the hard-won triumph of total self-acceptance.
There will be more new music coming from Amythyst later this year.
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