Meshell Ndegeocello’s ‘Synonym’ brings varied covers into duet settings
Meshell Ndegeocello’s album “Synonym” presents cover versions as duets with a wide-ranging group of collaborators. The record draws on songs associated with Bob Dylan, Jennifer Lopez, the Human League, Barbra Streisand and Temple of the Dog, while guest performers include Chaka Khan, Bill Callahan, Cynthia Erivo, Cat Power and Robert Glasper.
Meshell Ndegeocello’s “Synonym” is a collection of cover versions performed as duets. The album draws from a broad selection of source material, including songs associated with Bob Dylan, Jennifer Lopez, the Human League, Barbra Streisand and Temple of the Dog.
The collaborators include singers Chaka Khan, Bill Callahan, Cynthia Erivo and Cat Power, as well as jazz pianist Robert Glasper. The range of guests reflects the album’s varied approach to reinterpreting songs from different musical traditions.
Ndegeocello has worked across neo soul, jazz, R&B, alternative rock, reggae, fusion and gospel since her 1993 debut album, “Plantation Lullabies.” Her previous album, “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin,” moved between Afrobeat funk, electronic abstraction and other styles.
“No More Water” won a Grammy for best alternative jazz album, according to the review. “Synonym” continues Ndegeocello’s use of contrasting styles and collaborators, with the review describing the album as an expression of queer liberation.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What assumptions about genre determine how an album like this is classified?
How might the choice of collaborators shape listeners’ expectations before they hear the songs?
What power do established artists gain when they reinterpret material associated with other performers?
How could the album’s emphasis on covers affect the recognition given to Ndegeocello’s own musical authorship?
What might be lost if the record’s varied influences are treated only as evidence of musical unpredictability?
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · SEPTEMBER 2026