Meshell Ndegeocello turns familiar songs inside out

This is Fresh Air. I'm Tanya Mosley. My guest today is Michelle Indeghiocello. And you might recognize her vocals and bass from this song. That's Michelle and Deggio with John Mellencamp covering Van Morrison's Wild Night in nineteen ninety four. By then, was already making a name for herself, but

With music that defied easy categorization. Her songs could ache with romantic longing while celebrating black beauty and sensuality and the freedom to define yourself. She once described them as broken hearted revolutionary love songs. Over three decades, she's moved between funk, soul, jazz, and rock, composed music for television, including Ava Duvernay's Queen Sugar. And created an acclaimed musical tribute to James Baldwin.

Now on her new album Cynonym, Andeggio Cello reimagines familiar duets with an eclectic group of artists, from Shaka Khan to Brandy Carlyle. Creating arrangements that challenge how we hear songs We thought we knew. Like this version of the human league's nineteen eighty one hit. Don't you want me.

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