Brittany Howard: a god amongst us

I think idolizing others is a dangerous game. It creates a false sense of normalcy and places people on a pedestal that is unreachable and ridiculous. With this being said, I am also fully aware of my own idolization of Brittany Howard, lead singer of Alabama Shakes, Thunderbitch, and Bermuda Triangle.

Recently, Howard departed from her various side projects and released her first solo album, Jaime (2019), in September. Jaime is dedicated to Howard’s late sister, Jaime, who passed away when Howard was 14. On November 22nd, Howard brought her entire entourage to play her new tracks, as well as a few covers, at San Francisco’s infamous Fillmore.

Singer and producer Georgia Anne Muldrow started the night off with an eclectic mix that ranged from upbeat EDM to eighties inspired hip-hop to soulful cries for revolution. She served as a perfect opener as she was another shining example of female empowerment and exposure in the music industry. Her charisma had the entire audience dancing.

Just past 10 o’clock, the lights dimmed and Brittany’s band started to take the stage. As anticipation built, Brittany finally entered from stage right and raised her arms as she met the crowd’s gleeful screams. She grabbed a guitar and broke into “He Loves Me,” a song that she’s described as her reconnecting with God and realizing that he does not have to look the same for everyone.

Her setlist was made up almost entirely of music off her newest album. However, she was able to slip a few covers in, including Prince’s “The Breakdown”, Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and The Beatles’ “Revolution.” With each cover, she brought her signature swagger and spiced it up to truly make each her own.

Brittany finished the night with “Run to Me.” She told the audience, “This is a bit of an odd one to end with… But it’s a song I wrote to remind myself that I’m okay and I can get through it.” She sang it, accompanied only by an acoustic guitar.

My jaw never left the floor that night. I hugged my date when the lights came up and we gushed about her sheer power and performance the entire way home. We agreed that after a difficult week, Brittany was the exact remedy we needed. If the world had more Brittany, we’d be a whole hell of a lot better off.