Rhiannon Giddens has announced the release of her seventh studio album, “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers,” scheduled for September 18, according to a variety.com report.
The American roots and Americana musician described the upcoming Nonesuch Records release as a culmination and a “punctuation point” to her two-decade career in the genre, hinting at a potential musical shift in the future.
Recorded live at Dirt Studio in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, the album features a collaborative assembly of musicians from throughout Giddens’ career. The sessions reunited her with members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the string band she co-founded in 2005, including fiddler Justin Robinson. Other contributors include Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi, Congolese guitarist Niwel Tsumbu and members of her immediate family.
The lead single, “Carolina Rain,” was released on Thursday. Co-written with long-time musical partner Dirk Powell, the tracks blend old-time acoustic instrumentation with accordions and African guitar styles. Giddens noted that the song reflects her personal philosophy regarding the hollowing out of the industry and a preference for human connection over material status.
The album’s title track draws inspiration from an Emily Dickinson poem, which Giddens set to an a cappella melody before finalising the arrangement with Tsumbu. The 10-track record also addresses contemporary global issues; the original song “Wish in Vain” explores the human impact of the global refugee crisis by drawing parallels between historical and modern displacements.
Beyond her musical output, Giddens has recently expanded her cultural footprints into film and philanthropy. She completed filming a lead role in the independent film “An Ode to Mary Jo”, alongside Ed Helms and Jason Isbell. Additionally, she has established the Biscuits & Banjos Foundation in Durham, North Carolina, an organisation designed to preserve community-minded acoustic music traditions and provide instruments to communities across the United States.
Giddens, who turns 50 next year, has established herself as one of the most prominent figures in modern American traditional music. Her recent work includes a Grammy win for Best Folk Album in 2021, a high-profile appearance on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album and a scheduled performance with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble at Carnegie Hall on November 14.
•Featured image: Rhiannon Giddens/Karen Cox/variety.com