Seven-time GRAMMY® Nominee Nnenna Freelon Finds Her Groove BENEATH THE SKIN

A voice so profound it could be mistaken for the original cry that birthed the blues, an inner pain transfigured into beauty, offering a timeless poetic form.

—Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move

Celebrated jazz vocalist and seven-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Nnenna Freelon unveils her most personal project yet with Beneath the Skin, through Origin Records. The album marks a bold shift inward, as Freelon explores themes of love, loss, healing, and transformation through a collection of original compositions and heartfelt interpretations.

Guided by GRAMMY®-recognized producer Nick Phillips, Beneath the Skin brings together a stellar group of musicians including Alan Pasqua (piano), Jonathan Richards (bass), Steve Haas (drums), Keith Ganz (guitar), Evan Roberson (trombone), and Shana Tucker (cello). Highlights include “Dark and Lovely,” a tribute to her three granddaughters, Stella, Nova, and Zora; “Widow Song,” a poignant reflection on love and loss; and “Last Dream Home,” a moving tribute to her late husband. With its intimate storytelling, lush arrangements, and soulful performances, the album shines as a vulnerable yet life-affirming statement from one of jazz’s most beloved voices.

Nnenna Freelon has long been recognized as a singular force in jazz, praised by the Los Angeles Times as being “in the very top echelon of jazz vocalists.” Over her 30-year career, she has collaborated with legends like Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, and George Benson, and has continued to expand jazz’s reach through albums, performances, and her award-winning podcast Great Grief. Beyond music, she uplifts her community through NorthStar Church of the Arts in Durham, North Carolina, and continues to explore the intersections of creativity, storytelling, and healing. Nnenna Freelon’s forthcoming book, Beneath the Skin of Sorrow (Duke University Press) is a raw and lyrical exploration of love, loss, and the search for healing. Releasing October 21, 2025, the book is available for pre-order now here. For more information on Nnenna and her latest projects and tours, visit her website at: www.nnenna.com.

REVIEWS

The New York City Jazz Record "Singer Nnenna Freelon has long shown she knows her way around the Great American Songbook (she's recorded tributes to Billie holiday and Stevie Wonder), but on her newly released 12th album, Beneath the Skin, the tunes, many of them poignant ballads, are all hers, with several celebrating women in many colors. On this straight-ahead acoustic affair ..." —Jim Motavalli

Paris Move "More than just an extraordinary voice, Nnenna Freelon possesses above all a vision of her art, deconstructing the structures of songs to heighten their dramatic essence, as only the greatest artists can. A jazz album, certainly, but one that brushes against the blues and soul with expert wings, carrying emotions through each note with an instrument ..." —Thierry De Clemensat

Jazz Weekly "Ringer of the Week! Vocalist Nnenna Freelon has had a career that could easily be divided into two eras. Her early career had her create albums that mixed soul, R&B and smooth jazz in an irresistible fashion. Around 2012, she seemed to have taken a break from recording and touring, and has since returned to the scene with a more reflective, though ..." —George W Harris

LISTEN

WATCH