The thing about first albums is that artists have their whole lives to conceive them. They often contain songs whose roots stretch back for years, and by the time of their release, might not accurately display who the artist is anymore. Sometimes this results in a sophomore slump, where said artist can’t craft a satisfying follow-up within the confines of a normal album cycle. But other times, it can result in a marvelous step-up or a reinvention, where the debut was just a taste of what the artist has to offer.
For Natalie Prass, she seems to be falling squarely in the latter camp if her first couple singles are an indicator. While her self-titled debut saw her lumped with other ’70s-inspired songwriters that were coming out at the same time, like Father John Misty and Tobias Jesso Jr., her new songs are more indebted to R&B, finding her comfortable in a sound that’s less reliant on a trend. On her latest single, “Sisters,” Prass shines as the tune echoes classic Erykah Badu in both tone and style.
Prass had this to say about the funky feminist anthem:
“This song was written right after 45 was elected. I was raised in an environment where “women can’t do this or that.” It was around me in my personal life, but was also deeply built in the culture around me. It resulted in me thinking (sadly up until recently) to be a girl meant to be weak. I was rebellious and confused on what being a woman meant for me in life. A lot of women can’t relate to my situation, and I commend you, but I know a lot of women and girls out there can relate to my story. I now know more than ever that women are a force to be reckoned with, and we can change this world for the better. I desperately needed an anthem after Nov. 6. 2016. All of my past ghosts that I thought I had overcome came back to haunt me and I was paralyzed for months. This song was my warrior cry when I was losing hope. We demand equality for all marginalized groups, we demand safety in our neighborhoods, we demand safe health care and proper family leave, we demand better public schools for all classes, we demand equal pay & safety in our place of work. There are solutions to these issues and we need to stick together to solve them. When one ship rises, we all rise. Keep your sisters close. WE ARE WORLD WIDE WORLD CLASS.”
Check out Natalie Prass’ “Sisters” above, and look for her new album, The Future And The Past, out on June 1 via ATO.
