Meshell Ndegeocello will release her new covers album Synonym on October 2 via Blue Note Records. The project features duets with artists including Chaka Khan, Anohni, and Cynthia Erivo.
The lead single, a cover of the 1987 hit “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” featuring Cynthia Erivo, is available now. Ndegeocello described the album as a collection of classic songs with diverse tones and intentional grooves.
In a statement, she said the project expresses queer liberation as a synonym for liberation of all kinds. She added that the queer community claimed her when others did not, and she now recognizes how it overlaps with other communities.
The album includes tracks such as “Islands in the Stream” with Chaka Khan, “I Got You Babe” with Anohni, and “Golden Ring” with Brandi Carlile. Other collaborators range from Cat Power and Bill Callahan to Willow and Robert Glasper.
Synonym follows Ndegeocello’s 2023 album The Omnichord Real Book and 2024’s Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City, both of which won Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Jazz Album.
