Certainly, Shemekia Copeland is now one of the brightest names of actual blues scene, thanks to a powerful voice but, at the same time, full of easily recognizable nuances and a personal style that combines strong rooted blues with gospel, soul, Americana and rock.

Daughter of bluesman Johnny Copeland, we were lucky to see and interview in Barcelona during the 80s, Shemekia was born in Harlem in 1979, going for the first time on stage only aged eight, together with her father at the famous Cotton Club in New York. After releasing her first album when she was only 18 for Alligator Records in 1998, her fame has not stopped to grow. Besides winning eight times The Blues Foundation Blues Music Awards, she has also been nominated five times for the Grammy Awards. She has performed all over the world and has sung with Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Dr. John or James Cotton among many others, also performing at the White House for President Obama with BB King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty or Gary Clark Jr.

With all these credits, it is not strange that each album she publishes is enthusiastically received by audiences and specialized media, like surely will happen with her new recording Alligator Records has now released. The album has been produced by Will Kimbrough who has also co- written with John Hahn most of the twelve album songs and he is also on guitar, mandolin and percussion in several songs, together with Lex Price on bass, Pete Abbott on drums, and a series of guest musicians.

Shemekia Copeland’s voice is overwhelming, developing an amazing strength and intensity along a repertoire that tell us about so interesting topics like women’s rights or climate change, but she also leaves room for sense of humor and fun. Songs with a variety of styles and colors ranging from boogie rocking blues in “Tough Mother” to the song “Tee Tot Payne” that tells us the story of this dark bluesman who taught Hank Williams to play the blues, or the sad love story of “Belle Sorciere”, without forgetting a heartfelt tribute to his father in “Down On Bended Knee”, a Johnny Copeland’s own composition.

In short words, an impressive album coming from a stunning blues star called Shemekia Copeland.