Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Jill Scott is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her debut album with a large slate of projects in the works for her fans. This week, the premiere episode of her new podcast hit streaming platforms with rave reviews.
In the Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Podcast trailer, the singer revealed that individuality, family and Black culture will be among the topics discussed. Scott said she hopes that the topics will spark conversations intended to help listeners grow and inspire a revolution.
“2020 has been a challenging year for our community, and our hope is that this show will continue to keep our love village connected, entertained and empowered,” the 48-year-old Philly native told Essence. “These are valuable discussions about how we’re feeling and what’s happening in the world today.”
According to a press release sent to Blavity, the podcast is the multi-hyphenated artist's way of connecting more intimately with her fan base, and reaching out to new ones, while practicing social distancing.
Scott is joined by co-hosts Laiya St. Clair and Aja Graydon-Dantzler, who is a fellow singer/songwriter and one half of the married music band Kindred the Family Soul.
St. Clair is an accomplished radio industry professional and was the headliner of a morning show. She is now a co-host and producer for the Questlove Supreme podcast starring The Roots drummer, Questlove.
Each week, the three women will delve into a variety of topics ranging from relationships and culture to art. In the debut episode on Nov. 18, the women discussed where they might travel to if they left the country. New episodes of the singer-actress’ podcast are scheduled to be released every Wednesday.
As Scott’s first studio album, Who Is Jill Scott, eclipses 20 years old, the songstress is showcasing how versatile she is as an artist and creative.
Later this year, she is releasing a wellness app focusing on women of color called True Voice. It will offer wellness resources, educational content and collaboration tools built around mindfulness, according to the press release.
The singer is also expected to star in Mahalia! which is executive produced by Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah. The feature film tells the remarkable story of the life and legacy of the Queen of Gospel music, Mahalia Jackson. According to Deadline, the upcoming film has secured the rights to Jackson’s entire musical catalog including “How I Got Over,” “His Eyes Are on the Sparrow” and “Amazing Grace.”
Later this month, the Philly native will start shooting season 2 of First Wives Club that airs on BET. The show, which also stars Ryan Michelle Bathe, helped launch BET’s new streaming service as one of two original series on the platform for its rollout this past summer.
As Blavity previously reported, the Verzuz battle between Jilly From Philly and singer Erykah Badu was watched by over 700,000 viewers and was easily one of the most successful sessions by fans’ accounts.
