To many of her fans, acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright is a genre unto herself.
When she takes the stage Sunday to perform her unique blend of soul, jazz, gospel and folk at , she鈥檒l be stepping into an area she says has always met her with 鈥渨armth, soulfulness and deep knowing.鈥�
Wright has performed in the D.C. region many times over the years since the release of “Salt,” her 2003 debut album, but the timing of her appearances in 2025 have coincided with major local political tremors.
After signaling plans to take over the Kennedy Center on social media days earlier,聽President Donald Trump to serve as the chairman of the Kennedy Center on Feb. 12. The center’s president Deborah Rutter, a Biden appointee, was fired. Wright was scheduled to perform that night.
She remembers the evening vividly, not only because of the outrage and uncertainty swirling around the arts community, but because she became 鈥� in her words 鈥� an 鈥渦nhired usher at a threshold,鈥� offering grace and whatever comfort she could as staff worried about their futures.
鈥淚 was literally the last artist to slide under the gate before everything changed,鈥� Wright said in an interview with 海角精品黑料. 鈥淚 walked through the Kennedy museum and galleries with some of the staff who were worried that they wouldn鈥檛 be able to retain their jobs. We were in it together.鈥�
For Wright, this was not an unusual occurrence.
鈥淚 do find myself at very interesting thresholds where things are ending and where they’re beginning,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s happened so many times in my life in different ways. I don’t know why it happens, and I’m just glad for that very odd assignment. I’m around when I’m needed, and I just trust the arrangement of that, and I just give what I have to give.鈥�
That sense of 鈥渟howing up at thresholds鈥� has followed Wright throughout her career 鈥� in moments both public and deeply personal. One of the most striking came in 2016, when she learned that her April 2016 Minneapolis concert was before he died.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not something you want to be known for, but it鈥檚 true,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I heard Prince was coming, I thought, 鈥楾he band鈥檚 gonna play all crazy 鈥� they鈥檙e gonna be so excited, (it鈥檒l be) musical turbo and I won鈥檛 be able to breathe or get a word in edgewise.鈥� But then I was also like, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e the daughter of a minister and a gardener. Just feed him. He needs to sit at the table, too, and be nurtured. Do your job.鈥欌��
Now, the Strathmore performance comes at another uncertain time for the D.C. region as area residents navigate the effects of the government shutdown.
Wright believes her music is intended to nurture in moments like these.
For Wright, the connection with D.C. audiences runs deep.
鈥淲hat I love about the audience(s) and the people of D.C. is that they understand they are the place that is the capital of so much history,鈥� she said.
She describes local listeners as unusually attuned to the intersections of history, identity and art that her music explores; that jazz, gospel and folk all feed into one another.
鈥淚f genres were lenses, then I am in a place where a few of them overlap. A stream feeds a creek, (which) feeds a lake, (which) feeds a river,鈥� Wright analogizes.
鈥淭hey get it. There鈥檚 not as much explaining to do鈥�
At the Strathmore, Wright said, she looks forward not only to the music, but also to reuniting with the venue鈥檚 staff, whom she calls 鈥渞eally beautiful people鈥� she met when appearing there last May in a to her mentor and inspiration, Bernice Johnson Reagon.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible hall,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou come there with your soul full of everything you鈥檝e been carrying, and (as an artist) you pull out the best, because it鈥檚 a place to be heard deeply.鈥�
The concert is expected to draw a capacity crowd, adding another chapter to Wright鈥檚 long-running relationship with D.C. audiences. For her, the night will be less about performance than about presence.
鈥淚 want people to actually feel joy and courage about being here right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want people to remember enough, to feel enough, to release enough, to receive enough 鈥� and be grateful that they鈥檙e here right now.鈥�
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
漏 2025 海角精品黑料. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
