Fresh Air Jill Scott is in her ‘auntie’ era
Mar 19, 2026
Jill Scott, Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, poet and actor, reflects on her new album and creative rebirth. She talks about the lead single "Pressure" and making music after a decade. Nikki Giovanni’s poetry and a ninth-grade audition shaped her voice. She shares stories from acting in Botswana and embracing an "auntie" role mentoring younger artists.
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Pressure Captures Private Desire And Public Erasure
- Jill Scott wrote Pressure from the perspective of being desired privately but not claimed publicly and the pressure on grown women to appear a certain way.
- She built the song on dark, haunting chords and lyrics about refusing to perform for someone else's comfort, which resonated widely.
Pressure Reflects Society Passing On Fullness
- Pressure addresses how people privately desire fuller, nonconforming bodies while publicly seeking partners who fit narrow images.
- Jill lists examples like passing on plus-size or brown-skinned people to illustrate societal preferences she has witnessed.
Nikki Giovanni Sparked Jill Scott's Writing
- Nikki Giovanni inspired Jill Scott to write by making ordinary life feel beautiful and accessible when Jill was about 12 or 13.
- Jill remembers the sensory detail of her grandmother braiding her hair while reading Giovanni, which launched her desire to write.
