Key Takeaways
- Jill Scott’s return to music comes with a 19-track album that blends soul, Hip Hop, and spoken word.
- Listeners are highlighting the album’s poetic lyrics and mature themes as standout elements.
- Collaborations with JID, Tierra Whack, and Too $hort add generational depth to the project.
Jill Scott is having a moment on the internet — and it’s all love. The neo-soul icon is trending on X following the release of To Whom This May Concern, her first studio album in more than a decade, which arrived Friday (Feb. 13).
Across the social media platform, listeners are celebrating Scott’s return with joy, gratitude, and a lot of grown-woman energy. One fan, @relientkenny, summed it up simply: “THANK YOU MISS JILL SCOTT. LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!” Another, @OGDeeg_, painted a scene many could relate to, writing, “Jill Scott dropped, [finna] put on my cute pjs and walk around [with] a glass in my hand like my momma used to [laughing emojis].”
That sense of home, tradition, and Black joy runs through many of the reactions. @jmac1224_ gave a collective shoutout, posting, “S/o to all the Black people listening to Jill Scott’s new album,” while @quietfiya put it more bluntly: “Jill Scott's new album is so Black a**. THAT’S what I’m talking about.”
Fans are also praising the project’s intention and vocal power. @jabariHill_ called it “amazing,” adding, “It’s refreshing. It’s grown woman energy. It’s soulful, it’s intentional, it’s lovely. This one feels like elevation.” @RakeemShabazz echoed that sentiment, noting how the Philly native cuts through modern R&B trends: “We got used to all the whisper singing in today’s R&B and here goes Jill Scott singing from her diaphragm, reminding us what [we've] been missing. Word.”
Others were overwhelmed in the best way. “New Jill Scott, I'm so full of joy. I’m crying in my cubicle,” @beaxrene wrote, while @lwaaaa_x4o shared, “This new Jill Scott giving my head literal chills and tingles. Last time an album did this was Little Simz’s Lotus.” @KalanHookstv kept it short and definitive: “Jill Scott’s To Whom This May Concern is a 10/10.” And in perhaps the simplest thank-you of all, @laVixsin posted, “Thank you, Jill Scott [flower emoji].”
The 19-track album features JID, Too $hort, Ab-Soul, Tierra Whack, Trombone Shorty, and Maha Adachi Earth, adding texture across Hip Hop, R&B, and soul.
Jill Scott explains her decade-long album break
In an interview with Billboard, Scott opened up about why it took over 10 years to deliver a follow-up to her fifth album, Woman. “I did not have a creative block,” the 53-year-old said. “I just took a creative break. [The creative is] always there. It’s the energy that follows me around the house: in the shower, when I’m cleaning, making a bed. But I needed to take a break from that so that I could live life. I am, you know, a human being. So of course, there’s all kinds of stuff like perimenopause. That’s interesting. I have a teenager now; that’s different than ever before.”
“I really don’t think you can create without having the balance between the two,” she added. “It’s important to… connect with yourself, remember who you are. Like I tell my folk, ‘Jill Scott doesn’t live in my house.’ Nobody calls me that in my house. There’s a separation so that I can fill her up. And that’s me. I have to fill me up so I can fill Jill Scott.”
Now, that balance is clearly paying off, and fans were more than ready to receive To Whom This May Concern.