Zyah Belle.
Photo by Nailah Howze.
The FADER’s “Songs You Need” are the tracks we can’t stop playing. Check back every day for new music and follow along on our Spotify playlist.
Zyah Belle says that the title her new album Yam Grier was inspired by the “fierceness” of Pam Grier. “Yam Grier is the embodiment of a woman who has finally come into her own, unapologetically,” she explained in a press release. Over the album’s 14 tracks, the Vallejo-raised singer moves through meditations on self-love and stepping into her own power. Her music is a multi-sensory experience. You can taste the wine she’s sipping to unwind, smell the breakfast she’s made for her lover, and, most importantly of all, hear the power and confidence imbued in her voice. Belle takes a similarly prismatic approach to the music, dabbling in everything from upbeat dance (“Holding On”) to slow-simmering funk numbers (“Back to Back”) to Jill Scott-reminiscent neo-soul (“Make Your Plate”).
On “Spiritual Bath,” Belle steps away from romance for a moment to focus on herself. Equal parts woozy and tranquil, the song tells the story of letting go after a breakup, likening it to cleansing yourself. “Can’t fear something new,” she gently sings.”I’m washing away you.” It sounds like she’s already halfway out of the door by the time the sentence hits you. Belle’s completely at ease and already surveyed all her options. When she adlibs “Been going through it, through it with you,” her words boldly leap out. It's made clear she knows letting go is the right choice.