Meshell Ndegeocello announces Synonym covers album with Chaka Khan duet
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Meshell Ndegeocello has announced Synonym, a new covers album out on 2 October via Blue Note, featuring duets with an eclectic roster of artists including Chaka Khan, Anohni, Cat Power and Brandi Carlile. The record sees the multi-genre musician reinterpreting classic songs across various genres, framed by the artist as an exploration of joy, selfhood and queer liberation as a broader symbol of liberation more generally.
The lead single, a slowed-down rendition of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" featuring Cynthia Erivo, is out now, reworking the George Michael and Aretha Franklin original into a more intimate performance. The full tracklist draws on songs originally by artists such as Sonny and Cher, the Human League, Roberta Flack and Bob Dylan, with further collaborators including Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, Robert Glasper and Chris Thile. Synonym follows previous covers and tribute projects from Ndegeocello, including 2018's Ventriloquism and 2024's Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City, and comes after two consecutive Grammy wins for Best Alternative Jazz Album.
- Meshell Ndegeocello's covers album Synonym arrives 2 October via Blue Note
- Features duets with Chaka Khan, Anohni, Cat Power, Brandi Carlile and more
- Lead single with Cynthia Erivo covers "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
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Meshell Ndegeocello is an American singer, songwriter and bassist known for moving between jazz, soul, funk, rock and hip-hop. She first gained wide attention in the 1990s and has since made albums that often explore identity, relationships and social questions.
A covers album consists of new versions of songs first recorded by other artists, allowing performers to change their arrangement, style or mood. Ndegeocello has made such projects before, including records built around songs from the 1980s and a tribute to jazz musician Sun Ra.
Chaka Khan is a US soul and funk singer whose career includes work with the band Rufus and a long solo catalogue. Blue Note is a longstanding record label closely associated with jazz, and the collaborators named on the record come from several different musical traditions.
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Originally published by Rolling Stone as “Meshell Ndegeocello Taps Chaka Khan, Cat Power, More for Cover Album ‘Synonym’”.