Montreal-born now Nashville-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Allison Russell has been part of the roots music scene for quite a while, first in the early 2000’s as part of the Canadian band Po’ Girl and then in the notable folk duo Birds of Chicago. Now Russell is also a member of the acclaimed roots group Our Native Daughters alongside Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, and Leyla McCalla. Russell recently released her solo debut Outside Child – an album that boldly shares her journey from an abused adolescent and teenage runaway to celebrated musician through a mix of blues, R&B, and country delivered in both French and English. Russell says, “There’s ancestral trauma that we’re all dealing with, as well as personal trauma, and these things have to be faced and talked about in order to heal so that we don’t visit them upon our children in the next generations.” Outside Child is produced by Nashville’s Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Rodney Crowell) who brought together a high-profile cast of musicians including: Erin Rae, Jamie Dick, Joe Pisapia, The McCrary Sisters, Ruth Moody, Yola, and JT Nero. Notable tracks include: the soulful French-infused “Montreal”; the lush blues of “Fourth Day Prayer”; the homage to her Scottish-Canadian grandmother “Hy Brasil”; the bluesy “The Runner”; the gorgeous harmony-driven “Nightflyer”; the country-tinged “Persephone”; and the banjo-driven “All of the Women.” Russell hopes Outside Child serves as a recognizable voice for those who’ve had similar experiences, and to see that it does get better. “These horrible statistics don’t represent us as humans,” she says. “They might represent what has happened but not who we are. We’re more than a statistic. There’s a whole story to each of us.” – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Birds of Chicago, Rhiannon Giddens, Valerie June, Amythyst Kiah, Our Native Daughters