Our Native Daughters – Songs Of Our Native Daughters

Songs of Our Native Daughters is a powerful and unflinching album by Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell, released in 2019 under the Smithsonian Folkways label. Blending folk, Americana, blues, and old-time traditions, the album confronts the legacy of slavery, racism, and misogyny in America through the voices of Black women reclaiming their history. With banjos, handclaps, and soaring harmonies, tracks like “Black Myself,” “Mama’s Cryin’ Long,” and “Polly Ann’s Hammer” channel both pain and resilience. It’s a searing, poetic, and deeply human work that re-centers forgotten narratives in American music.

Reviews

“A stunning, confrontational reckoning with history—raw, righteous, and redemptive.” – NPR

“This is protest music with deep roots and fierce heart.” – Rolling Stone

“A tour de force of historical storytelling and musical craftsmanship.” – The Guardian

“Songs of Our Native Daughters is an essential album—soulful, urgent, and beautifully defiant.” – AllMusic

“An unshakable blend of tradition and revolution.” – Mojo