August 28, 2026
On Meshell Ndegeocello’s 3rd Blue Note album Synonym, the acclaimed singer-bassist-producer reimagines and reconceptualizes a brilliantly curated collection of classic songs as duets with an astounding rollcall of special guests. Ndegeocello joins forces with singer-guitarist Lianne La Havas on the album’s 3rd single “Don’t Look Any Further,” a sly, modern funk take on the 1984 Dennis Edwards/Siedah Garrett Motown hit that also features flute embellishments by Elena Pinderhughes.
Synonym was introduced with the previous singles “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” with Cynthia Erivo and “Don’t You Want Me” with Cat Power. Other featured guests on the album include Chaka Khan, Brandi Carlile, Bill Callahan, Chris Thile, Madison Cunningham, Laura Lee (of Khruangbin), Lizz Wright, Emily King, Moses Sumney, Destin Conrad, Nick Hakim, Robert Glasper, ANOHNI, WILLOW, Evann McIntosh, and Ink. The album also marks a reunion with David Gamson, the producer of Ndegeocello’s first two classic albums – Plantation Lullabies (1993) and Peace Beyond Passion (1996) – who co-produced Synonym with Ndegeocello and Abe Rounds.
Exploring expressions of desire, care, heartbreak, friendship, disappointment, and love in all forms, the songs range from 1960s folk and 70s soul, country, and pop to 80s R&B and electro-boogie, early-90s alternative rock, and early-aughts hip-hop. “This project is about classic songs that are known and loved,” Ndegeocello says. “The songs have diverse tones, representing various genres and intentional grooves. But the album is also about joy, selfhood, individual representation, and universal experience.”
When asked about the album’s intriguing title, Ndegeocello first suggests that the word “just feels good on the mouth,” before expounding upon its true definition: a word or phrase that means the same thing as another word in the same language. “That’s how humans are,” Ndegeocello theorizes, “Regardless of our differences, deep down we essentially want the same things: healthy food and a safe place to live. We are all different. But at the core of the human condition, we are the same.”
The tracklisting for Synonym is as follows:
- I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) with Cynthia Erivo
- Don’t You Want Me with Cat Power
- Don’t Stop The Music with Nick Hakim, Robert Glasper
- Islands In The Stream with Chaka Khan
- It Ain’t Me Babe with Madison Cunningham
- Always on Time with Laura Lee
- Be Real Black For Me with Emily King, Lizz Wright
- Don’t Look Any Further with Lianne La Havas
- The Closer I Get To You with Destin Conrad, Moses Sumney
- Golden Ring with Brandi Carlile
- I Got You Babe with ANOHNI
- Here We Come (Here He Comes) with Evann McIntosh
- Guilty with Ink
- Hunger Strike with WILLOW
- With God On Our Side with Bill Callahan, Chris Thile
