KYSHONA ARMSTRONG’S CV sees her describing herself as an “artist, songwriter, activist, music therapist and community connector”. Right now, though, Kyshona (pronounced Kuh-SHAUN-Uh, by the way) is busy promoting her latest album ‘Legacy’ which wins release tomorrow, April 26th.
Our first taste of the LP came via the single ‘Carolina’. Though Kyshona works out of Nashville, she hails from South Carolina and the song was conceived as, she says: “a love song – and a break-up letter – the state”, adding “my relationship with South Carolina is a complicated one. It was a hard place to grow up, but a beautiful place full of a cultural richness and family history to return to and visit. Sometimes, you need a little distance to understand the value of the place that raised you.”
Thus the song (input from Keb’ Mo’ here ) was a complex and powerful affair and you can expect plenty more of the same across ‘Legacy’s’ 13 tracks as Kyshona sets out to capture the history, character, and honest stories of her ancestors in order that generations that come after her will know their stories. See what we mean by “complex” – thus not your classic or traditional soul album – but one packed with serious “soul”, passion and commitment as Ms K mixes rootsy sounds, blues, folk, gospel and southern soul flavours into a provocative cocktail.
Tracks that grab you right away are the jaunty, gospel rouser ‘Heaven Is a Beautiful Place’, a haunting, stark ‘The Echo’, the Memphis inspired sounds of ‘What’s In A Name’ and the sweet, pure almost accapella of ‘Always A Daughter’.
Helping Kyshona deliver her ‘Legacy’ are Keb Mo’, Ruthie Foster, Odessa Settles and the singer’s late grandfather, Hawthorne “H.T.” Armstrong.
