Today, Glasshaus Presents is proud to announce Grammy-winning artist Bilal on Live at Glasshaus, a mid-career retrospective featuring a supergroup of Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and Burniss Travis. The live record presents Bilal within an ensemble of luminaries to reimagine standouts from his classic repertoire. Live at Glasshaus, out June 14 during Black Music Month, sees Bilal at the peak of his powers, pushing the boundaries of a genre-defying catalog including 1st Born Second, his famously unreleased sophomore album, Love For Sale, Airtight’s Revenge, Common’s seminal Like Water for Chocolate, as well as the premiere of Humility.
Surrounded by an intimate studio audience of 100 fans, the project was recorded, filmed, and livestreamed from Glasshaus in Brooklyn, NY. With stripped-down arrangements and ecstatic performance, Bilal wove fresh interpretations of beloved catalog favorites spanning 23 years of recorded output.
The album’s first single and video is “Something To Hold,” originally recorded during the height of the Soulquarian era. Now Bilal takes a raw approach with the live format, capturing his unparalleled talent and highlighting his artistic evolution:
Reflecting on the performance, Bilal says: “I felt comfortable to create because I knew I had some of the best motherfuckers in the world playing.” He continues, “I like intimate vibes where everyone’s drawing off the energy in the room. When you’re up there making something and giving, with the people up there listening and receiving, it creates this circular motion of energy, it’s a timeless moment.”
“The evening felt historic,” says Jarrett Wetherell, founder of Glasshaus Presents and producer of the album. “The audience was floored. So many masters creating in an intimate space together makes for a special production. We’re honored to serve Bilal, an artist in the truest sense.”
The setlist is golden: Nine songs stretched into fresh shapes and split up by interludes from Questlove and Common, whom he affectionately refers to as “my big brother” onstage. There are the expected hits like “Soul Sista” and “Sometimes” but what makes this even more special is the inclusion of two tracks from Love For Sale—Bilal’s lost early 2000s masterpiece, which went on to reach near-mythic status online. In revisiting these songs, “Something To Hold” and “All For Love,” Bilal reclaims the joy in artistic horizons once-dashed.
After two decades of Bilal’s high profile contributions with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Beyonce, and Erykah Badu, Live At Glasshaus is a welcomed shift of spotlight––a historic performance by superstars devoted to Bilal as a G.O.A.T. deserving of our full attention. Glasshaus Presents and Bilal will be sharing more exciting news in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for details.
Praise for Bilal
“Bilal is one of the most pure, honest performance artists of this generation. Truly fearless and I consider it an honor to be allowed to create art with him. He is a true singer’s singer––I mean ask Beyoncé, Jay Z, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Pharrell Williams, Solange, Terrence Blanchard. All the mavericks utilized his gifts and acknowledge his supreme craft. He has changed my standard for singing!”
Questlove
“It’s so great 20-something years later that we’re here and supporting Bilal, because he’s always in our corner helping us, supporting us. He’s your favorite singer’s favorite singer.”
Robert Glasper
Tracklist:
Something To Hold
All Matter
All For Love
Reminisce
Funky For You
Soul Sista
Interlude: Questlove’s Story
Sometimes
Interlude: Common’s Gratitude
Humility
Levels
By: Bass Magazine