NEWS: Hannah Williams - New album and single

NEWS: Hannah Williams – New album and single

Hannah Williams, the British soul hurricane who sensationally became part of Jay-Z’s chart-topping 4:44 album, is primed and ready for her own national and international breakthrough with her brand new album ’50 Foot Woman’ which comes out Friday October 18th via Record Kicks.

Second single off the new album I Feel It is a song about empathy. It’s about a friend offering emotional support to somebody who suffers with depression.

“I wrote it with Adam Holgate, the guitarist. He had the chords and feel as an instrumental piece, and I had the 1st verse, but the words weren’t written to music. When he played me the chords, I sung the melody almost straight away and that was a good sign. I finished the lyrics to the rest of the song after that session – after suddenly realising what they were about. It was one of those happy coincidences. The support we share together as a group, on stage musically, and off stage as mates, is incredibly important to us. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without it. And I think now, that’s what this song means to us”. explains Hannah.

Hannah’s profile soared, especially in America, when she became part of Jay-Z’s chart-topping 4:44 album, as he used her vocals on his title track 4.44, which was up for ‘Song Of The Year’ in the 2018 Grammy’s. He used an extended sample of the title track from her band’s 2017 Late Nights & Heartbreak album. That was the result of a career-changing text message out of the blue from the hip-hop superstar, requesting a chat, initially she thought it was a wind-up, as who would believe Jay Z would casually text an artist, you would assume he has people on the ground doing all the work for him.

Introduced to the track by his producer No I.D., Jay-Z decided there was no better way to respond to Beyoncé’s Lemonade album than with the help of the British soul powerhouse. Jay z wrote 4.44 as an apology to being unfaithful to Beyonce. The fact that he chose to do so via a vocalist born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, tells you everything about the authenticity of Hannah’s impassioned delivery.

Williams was as in the dark about how ‘Late Nights & Heartbreak’ would be used until 4:44 dropped. But the substantial sample of her voice opened doors she never dreamed of. “It was an incredible catalyst,” she says, “as a change in our collective career, and getting a global audience. Suddenly, there were millions of predominantly American hip-hop fans listening to my voice, going ‘Is this from the ’60s? Is she dead?’”

Now Williams returns with her latest album ’50 Foot Woman’ released October 18th via Record Kicks and produced by Shawn Lee whose credits include Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey and Alicia Keys.

Pre order the album via the Hannah Williams website

UK TOUR

December 4th – Oslo- Hackney- London

December 6th- The Deaf Institute – Manchester

December 7th – O2 Academy – Leicester

December 10th- Rough Trade- Bristol

December 12th- The Grand Social- Dublin

December 14th- Limelight 2 – Belfast ffffffff