Kyshona Armstrong, who performs under the name Kyshona, shines a light on social issues throughout her new project, aptly titled Listen. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter enlisted producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, St. Paul & the Broken Bones) for the album, which Billboard premieres today (Feb. 27) one day ahead of its release.
Recorded at Tokic’s studio The Bomb Shelter, Listen highlights Kyshona’s descriptive songwriting and soulful vocals alongside a versatile blend of folk, rock and R&B influences. While Kyshona sings of fear, hope, community, love and understanding throughout the 10-track project, she also finds herself.
“Since completing this album, there has been a theme that keeps coming up: fear,” Kyshona tells Billboard. “Fear of being ignored, fear of being seen. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of being abandoned and alone. But every night I have walked on a stage or into a space and stood in that fear, I’ve been shown that I can not only conquer them, but that those fears allow me to connect with people. That’s what I have wanted this album to be: a reflection that allows connection.”
This connection can be felt throughout the album, especially on closing track “More in Common.” Throughout the song, she boldly sings, “We’ve got more in common than what tears us apart.” Meanwhile, the memorable “Too Much” has the Music City local second guessing the choices she’s made while she urges the listener and herself to “hold on just a little longer” when life gets dark. Later, the uplifting “Worried Mind” has Kyshona accepting the way her life played out.
Hear Kyshona’s Listen in its entirety below.
