On October 13, Chicago soul singer-songwriter Jamila Woods will release her third studio album, Water Made Us. The album’s title, which refers to the way water “always runs back where it came from,” is inspired by a line from one of its songs, “Good News” — a song Woods shared today as the project’s third single.
In a press release, Woods explained how the lyric inspired the album’s title, saying, “The title of the album comes from one of the lyrics: ‘The good news is we were happy once / The good news is water always runs back where it came from / The good news is water made us.’ For me the song is a lesson in surrender, a lesson I learn from water over and over again.”
“Good News” was preceded by “Boomerang,” an upbeat dance track. In contrast, “Good News” is a slow, mellow track with a sinuous bassline backing ethereal instrumentation and Woods’ reflection on the duality and cyclical nature of life. “I take it back, the words I said / That cast a cloud over my head,” she sings. “I’ll make it back to where I been.”
Water Made Us is also a reference to the Toni Morrison quote, “All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.” It’s a hopeful message, that all is as it should be and will eventually end up where it’s meant to. This theme will be expressed throughout the album’s 17 tracks, which will feature duendita, Peter CottonTale, and Saba. You can find more info here.