Three-time Grammy® Award winner Meshell Ndegeocello – the singer, songwriter, spoken word artist, and musician who plays bass, keyboards, drums and guitar – has joined the lineup of the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival. She will perform on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. Her music weaves effortlessly through genres, blending soul, jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, and rock to create an expansively unique sound.
Fearless Creativity
More than a musician, Ndegeocello is a musical visionary with an artistic career spanning over three decades. She has built a legacy rooted in fearless creativity and authenticity. Born Michelle Lynn Johnson in Berlin, Germany, and raised in Washington, D.C., Ndegeocello’s early exposure to a rich tapestry of music laid the foundation for her eclectic artistry. A self-taught bassist, she developed her distinctive playing style, which would later become a hallmark of her sound. She first garnered attention in the early ’90s as one of the first artists signed to Madonna’s Maverick Records. Her debut album, Plantation Lullabies (1993), was a bold mix of neo-soul with politically charged lyrics.
Ndegeocello’s career has been marked by continual evolution. Her 1996 cover of Bill Withers’ “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)” earned her a Grammy® nomination, and her 1999 duet with John Mellencamp on “Wild Night” became a mainstream hit. However, commercial success has never been her driving force. Instead, she prioritizes artistic expression, creating deeply personal and socially conscious works that challenge the status quo.
A Genre-Defying Artist
For the last two years, Ndegeocello has won the Grammy® Award for the newly created category of Best Alternative Jazz Album. The win in 2023 for The Omnichord Real Book, her debut release on the Blue Note label. She won again in 2024 for No More Water: The Gospel According to James Baldwin. Throughout her career, Ndegeocello has released numerous critically acclaimed albums, including the Grammy®nominated Peace Beyond Passion, Bitter, and Ventriloquism, each displaying her ability to craft introspective and resonant music. Her genre-spanning versatility extends beyond her own recordings. She has collaborated with icons like Prince, Herbie Hancock, John Cougar Mellencamp, Missy Elliot, the Indigo Girls and many more, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.
As a spoken-word artist, Ndegeocello integrates poetry and storytelling into her performances, amplifying her message of social justice and personal liberation. In doing so, she continues to inspire audiences worldwide and transform the musical landscape.
