Brittany Howard has shared the first single and video off her forthcoming solo album, WHAT NOW. The title track is a thriller of a song and offers a taste of what to expect on the full-length.
“What Now” was written and produced by Brittany with co-production from Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, SZA), with whom she has a longstanding creative relationship since Alabama Shakes. Recording took place at the legendary Sound Emporium and historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, Brittany’s hometown. The accompanying cinematic and action-packed video was directed by Danilo Parra (known for his work with A$AP Rocky) and produced by Adam Braun (070 Shake, P!NK). Check out the visual below.
“What Now” takes on a potent urgency fueled by its syncopated grooves, blistering guitar riffs, and fiercely honest lyrics (“I’ve been making plans that don’t include you anymore/My heart wants to stay but I don’t know what for”). “‘What Now’ is maybe the truest and bluest of all the songs,” says Howard. “It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal.”
Brittany will release a limited-edition 7-inch to accompany the single. “What Now” (A Side) and a “Meditation” (B Side) with crystal singing bowls performed by Brittany’s friends Ramona Reid of The Frequency Center & Ann Sensing.
The scorching “What Now” is the title track of WHAT NOW, Brittany’s hotly anticipated second solo album (and first under Island Records). Endlessly unpredictable, the album finds the artist bringing her singular musicality to a shapeshifting sound encompassing everything from psychedelia and dance music to dream-pop and avant-jazz—leaning into an exploration of retro future afroism.
WHAT NOW is the long-awaited follow-up to Jaime, Brittany’s massively acclaimed solo debut of 2019 (featuring “Stay High” and “History Repeats”).
Howard has also added 2024 dates to her tour, which will kick off on November 6 in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2024 dates will find her performing in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C.,, and more.
