Heart​-​Shaped Box (Lockdown Version) by Hannah Williams

Hannah Williams and the Affirmations are the current darlings of the worldwide Soul scene. Having been sampled by Jay Z on the Grammy-nominated song “4:44”, they were catapulted around the globe. This has lead them to work w/ Tyler The Creator, Guy Chambers and Pete Rock, to name a few. They've been personally championed by Huey Morgan and the late, great masters Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley.

HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE AFFIRMATIONS RELEASE A COVER OF NIRVANA’S “HEART-SHAPED BOX”

Bristol-based soul hurricane Hannah Williams & The Affirmations unleash a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart-shaped box” today, June 26th on all digital platforms.
Hannah and the band have been enjoying connecting with their fans and followers in a whole new way during the past few months of lockdown. Putting musical direction in the hands of their loyal following for the first time, a cover song choice was put to the vote and as a result they were set the challenge of covering a truly classic/significant track. Originally released in 1993, “Heart shaped Box” became a hugely popular and life-changing release for Nirvana as well as the many millions of fans who fell in love with it.
In this new recording, Hannah and the band put their own musical spin on this cult classic highlighting how fundamentally any great composition can translate across different genres if embraced and adapted with care. Through countless back and forths with their mixing engineer, and rapid advancements to each of their remote recording setups; the band managed to sculpt this recording, despite lockdown restrictions. The song itself shines the light once again on the state of society and its turmoils; coincidentally more relevant than ever to all of us today, making this release far more poignant than the band ever envisaged.
“This release is an ode to the world and its struggles” the band says “a nod to the past but also a move into the future, and most of all a tribute to all the amazing people who continue to not only support the band but also support all the important messaging and movements they try to encourage through their art and influence”.
Born in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Williams' father was a musically gifted minister, and her mother let her join the church choir at the age of six. Hannah could read music before she could properly read words, and when she discovered soul by listening with her mum to Motown and Bill Withers, there was no turning back. Hannah Williams & The Affirmations turned heads worldwide when the hip-hop superstar Jay-Z sampled her heart-stopping vocals on “Late Nights & Heartbreak” for the title track, “4.44” on his 2017 album. With the new album “50 FOOT WOMAN”, released last October 18th on the Milan based imprint Record Kicks, Hannah and her exemplary, Bristol-based band the Affirmations have delivered a definitive career statement.
credits
released June 25, 2020