In an Instagram post (via Okayplayer), Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard announced that she’s going to release her first solo album later this year, explaining in a surprisingly lengthy essay—for an Instagram post—that each song was meant as a way to “confront something” within or “beyond” her. To that end, she decided to give the album “a name that hurts to be said,” specifically Jaime, which is the name of her sister who died as a teenager. “She was a musician too,” Howard says. “I did this so her name would no longer bring me memories of sadness and as a way to thank her for passing on to me everything she loved: music, art, creativity.”
She also explains that the album is not entirely about her sister, but about personal things that she wanted to take on alone rather than with the whole Alabama Shakes. Jaime will be available on September 20, and the first single, “History Repeats,” is below. Howard is also going on a solo tour to promote the sol album, and you can also see an Instagram post of those dates below. Lots of Instagram posts here.