photo by steed media service

When your father is Donny Hathaway, it’s obvious that you know a thing or two about soul music. Lalah Hathaway has carved an enviable niche as one of the more accomplished soul singers of her generation. But she didn’t get to that point because of a famous last name; on the contrary, she uses her life experiences to fuel her creativity, which culminates in honest, thoughtful music. “Every day something happens. My goddaughters come see me, somebody has a birthday, somebody has to go to the doctor, my dog gets sick, my mom comes to visit,” she explains. “A lot of things inspire me. It’s kind of a daily cathartic [release] to try to write and talk about what’s going on.”

Her latest release, Self Portrait, continues that tradition of introspective, soulful songwriting and complementary production that Hathaway has made her sonic trademarks. Now on the legendary Stax label, Hathaway loves continuing the tradition that the Memphis soul powerhouse represents. “This is the music that I grew up with and it’s very exciting to be seen as a soul music artist,” she reveals. “I always say soul music influences the [sound] of every music in the world — [it’s] important to every genre of music in the world. To be affiliated with a label like Stax is an honor.”

Hathaway understands that her fans enjoy her music because it is truly a part of who she is. “The great thing about music and art is that you can search for it your entire life and never ‘find’ it,” she says, “... but I’m walking towards the woman I’m becoming and that affects my music as well.” -todd williams

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