Meshell Ndegeocello recasts classic duets on queer liberation album Synonym

Meshell Ndegeocello has released Synonym, an album of cover versions performed as duets that she describes as "an expression of queer liberation as a synonym for liberation of all kinds." The project brings together diverse collaborators including Bill Callahan, Cat Power, Chaka Khan and Cynthia Erivo to reimagine songs from artists ranging from Bob Dylan and Jennifer Lopez to the Human League and Temple of the Dog, often shifting the songs' meanings in the process.

The album features stunning reinventions rather than straightforward covers, with many originally male-female duets recast as duets between women. Notable examples include Barbra Streisand's "Guilty" transformed into an anthem of defiance, and "Don't You Want Me" reimagined as reggae with altered vocal delivery that shifts the song's emotional tone from defiant to vulnerable. The Guardian's review praises Ndegeocello's musical taste and restless creativity, noting that her selections and radical reinterpretations showcase an artist determined to transform familiar songs into something unexpected and powerful.