Kandace Springs
PROJECTS:
After a wait of almost three years, Kandace Springs’ legion of worldwide fans finally have a new album to look forward to. 2024’s Run Your Race, her tribute to her late father, legendary Nashville soul singer Scat Springs, is the first album of hers to feature almost all original songs, written by Kandace both solo and with some stellar collaborators, such as Gregg Wells (Adele), Matt Hales (Liane La Havas), and her long-time partners Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (Rihanna).
“This album is probably the most personal one I’ll ever make,” says Ms. Springs. “My dad was a huge influence on my life and my music, and when he passed away earlier this year, I knew I had to pay tribute to him with this record.”
Backed by her ace all-female rhythm section, and joined as usual by a stellar group of guest artists, including Elena Pinderhughes (Herbie Hancock), and Karriem Riggins (Diana Krall), Kandace delivers her most heartfelt and personal record yet. The songs range from an early gem, “Look,” that Kandace actually wrote with her father, to the album’s feature track, “Run Your Race,” written in late 2022, which is a touching tribute to her college track star dad’s journey through life. A couple of classic standards, “Wild Is The Wind” (made famous by Nina Simone) and “What a Wonderful World,” make their appearance as well, as they were songs that Scat introduced to his daughter in her formative years. “He opened the door for me of a whole musical world, I went in and I’ve never left.”
Kandace’s last album, The Women Who Raised Me, was released in 2020, garnering 5-star reviews from publications ranging from DownBeat to The New Yorker, as well as winning the Deutscher JazzPreis for best vocal album of the year. Three years is a long time, but Kandace is convinced that her fans will feel the wait was worth it. “In a way, this album took a whole lifetime to make,” she says, “and I think it shows.”
LADY IN SATIN WITH SYMPHONY
Since the release of her debut album Soul Eyes on Blue Note Records in 2016, Kandace Springs has solidified her position as one of the premiere jazz/soul singers of our time. Described as having “a voice that could melt snow” by her late mentor Prince, the Nashville native has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments, from national TV appearances, headlining major jazz festivals, and collaborations with such luminaries as Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, David Sanborn and Norah Jones. The Washington Post exclaims, “Kandace Springs’s voice is undeniable. It’s one of those generational voices; from the first note, you know it’s special.” She embodies the same spirit and soul of the great vocalists of the past on whose shoulders she stands, from classic jazz legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae, to multi-genre masters such as Nina Simone and Roberta Flack.
Now Kandace is ready to embark on her most ambitious tribute yet, with the 2025 album release and accompanying tour of Lady In Satin, her recreation of Billie Holiday’s iconic, last great album. Ms. Holiday recorded it in 1958 with a full symphony orchestra, giving many of her signature songs such as “You’ve Changed” and “For All We Know” a new level of lushness. Together with the world-renowned 60-piece Orquestra Classica de Espinho, Kandace has lovingly reinvented and reimagined the album in its entirety. “I wanted to bring back the beautiful sound of that era, there’s nothing like a full orchestra” she says. “It just surrounds you and envelops you. Singing with a symphony orchestra, doing all these amazing songs, and being able to pay tribute to my idol Billie Holiday, is maybe the greatest experience I’ve ever had in music”.
PRESS QUOTES:
“A voice that could melt snow”
Prince
“Kandace Springs’s voice is undeniable. It’s one of those generational voices; from the first note, you know it’s special.”
The Washington Post
“Springs proves again to be one of today’s best voices.”
Glide Magazine
“‘Run Your Race’ is an emotional and passionate song that has brought tears to people that hear her perform the song in concert.”
WBGO
“After celebrating the legacy of iconic female vocalists with her 2020 album, The Women Who Raised Me, Kandace Springs showcases her own compositional prowess in a brand new album full of original songs.”
JAZZIZ Magazine
“she’s recaptured the lost art of singing with intimacy.”
Jazz Weekly
“‘Run Your Race’ is a gentle but emotional, gospel-flecked tribute to Kandace’s late father Kenneth ‘Scatt’ Springs...Produced by Ms. Springs alongside Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, in some ways the song echoes the sentiment of the Luther Vandross classic ‘Dance With My Father.’”
Soul&Jazz&Funk.com
“In this day of singers weaned on Auto-Tune, it’s rare to find a vocalist who not only sounds real, but sounds both relevant and invigorating. Kandace Springs, playing piano and keyboards while delivering music mostly from her most recent album Run Your Race, brought a fresh sound that connected the tradition of jazz singers and thoughtful composers in a 80 minute set that satisfied on a plethora of levels.”
Jazz Weekly
