Solange’s new album A Seat At The Table was the sleeper hit of 2016. In a year marked by immense, loud indignities, the younger Knowles sister quietly but fiercely voiced important anger, and proved once and for all that she is not Beyonce’s sister — she is Solange. Seat went to the No. 1 spot on Billboard the week it came out, upsetting what seemed to be a pretty obvious Bon Iver clinch, and has also earned widespread critical acclaim. It came in on the No. 4 spot on our own best albums list.
Her entire album is marked with that determination and elegance, but in particular, the standout track “Cranes In The Sky” has gotten quite a bit of attention. It was recently nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B performance, and last time Solange appeared on late night television — as the musical guest for SNL — she performed that song.
But allowing “Cranes” to eclipse the full body of work that is A Seat At The Table is a mistake, and frankly, it deserved quite a few more Grammy nods. In more quiet protest, Solange performed the first two tracks off her record for last night’s performance on The Tonight Show.
For the appearance, she still gave a nod to “Cranes In The Sky” by performing “Rise” and “Weary” in a body con and drape look of three linked pink dresses designed by her mother Tina Knowles that initially appeared in the video for that song. The connection it lent to the three women gave hershow an even more intense and delicate edge. Watch that above and stream the entire album below if you haven’t yet, but sit down first before you press play. You’re going to need your bearings to take this in.
