Brittany Howard has spoken to the Kyle Meredith With… podcast about Alabama Shakes reuniting after a decade apart to make their third album, I Must Be Dreaming. The reunion began almost by accident, with a fundraiser performance in Tuscaloosa bringing Howard back together with bandmates Zac Cockrell and Heath Fogg, before rekindled friendship turned into songwriting and eventually a full record. The renewed collaboration matters because it marks the unexpected return of one of soul-rock's most acclaimed acts, with Howard describing the process as a rediscovery of both musical excitement and family bonds rather than an attempt to repeat past hits.

Howard explained that the band deliberately avoided revisiting the sound of earlier albums Boys & Girls and Sound & Color, instead asking each other what they were currently interested in musically, which shaped the psychedelic soul direction of the new record. She also discussed the personal struggle behind songs such as "I Feel Hope Coming", admitting she initially felt reluctant to write or perform, but pushed through to arrive at a message of collective responsibility, insisting there is "no leader and no saviour" and that people must take care of one another. The full interview is available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts and other platforms.