Jill Scott Continues to Follow Her Creative Compass in Her Legendary Career: ‘This Isn’t a Job That I Do — This Is a Mission’
Categoria: Musica
The fearless songwriter and performer is Billboard’s 2026 R&B Hall of Fame honoree.
Por Billboard | 21/08/2026
It’s the day after Jill Scott has finished a four-night run of concerts at The Met in Philadelphia, and the Philly native can’t contain her jubilation. “Last night I got the key to Philadelphia!” she shouts over Zoom. “This is out of control. It’s a beautiful ride.” Twenty-six years after showing the world the multifaceted answer to the question her debut album posed — Who Is Jill Scott? — the artist who once wore a hard hat while working at a demolition company and scooped ice cream at her local parlor to pay the bills has become one of R&B’s defining voices. Related Phoebe Bridgers, KATSEYE Bag First No. 1s In Australia Kehlani Gets Candid With Longtime Pal Leon Thomas About R&B, ‘Changing the World’ & Her ‘Sinus Surgery From Hell’ Showstopping Vocals Have Fallen Out of Favor in R&B — Can a New Generation of Stars Bring Them Back? The three-time Grammy winner is celebrated for her fearless songwriting and a genre-blurring style that seamlessly weaves soul, hip-hop, jazz and spoken word. In February, after an 11-year recording hiatus (during which she featured on songs by artists including Kehlani and Tyla), Scott released her sixth album, To Whom This May Concern , to a still fervent fanbase. The project wasn’t so much a comeback as a reminder that authenticity never goes out of style. “Honestly, this isn’t a job that I do — this is a mission,” says Scott, 54, of what inspired her return to music. “I’m not a pastor, but I kind of look at it that way. You got to go away, go to Mecca, take some time and do some yoga. Experience something else because you don’t want to pull from the same places that you did before. You’re different now. You have to find ways to communicate the differences in yourself as an artist.” Quieting her mind and trusting her creative compass paid off. To Whom This May Concern debuted in the top 10 across seven Billboard charts and included “Pressha,” her first No. 1 on the Adult R&B Airplay list in 13 years. Scott is keeping herself busy outside the studio, too: She’ll reprise her role as Sheila Jackson in Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again? , debuting Sept. 9 on Netflix. “I’m happiest now because I’m listening to myself,” Scott says. “I’m honoring myself, and To Whom This May Concern , the title is just that: I’m doing this for the people who rock with me and the people who will. They may not be ready yet, but they will. I believe it.” Having now expanded your artistry beyond music into acting, what does performing live still mean to you? Aw, man. It’s really like a family reunion with people that I mostly never met, but it feels that way because I’ve been in their birthing rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and cars. I’ve been where they are. There’s this beautiful love between us and it just feels like a warm hug. I just want to do the best I can because I know they’re spending their hard-earned money to come see me, so I want to give them the best show that I possibly ca