Jill Scott announces ‘To Whom This May Concern,’ first new album in more than a decade
“It’s a lot of revelation. Musically, it’s a full spectrum," Jilly from Philly said of the album on which she has collaborated with other Philadelphians like Tierra Whack and Adam Blackstone.
Legendary singer Jill Scott is kicking off 2026 with a special announcement: Her sixth studio album, called To Whom This May Concern, will come out on Feb. 13.
The release marks Scott’s first new album in more than a decade, following 2015’s Woman.
Coinciding with the Friday announcement, Scott also dropped her new single, “Beautiful People,” in which she croons about the power of love: “Our love is the art of war / Conquering all algorithms / And wicked, wicked systems of things.”
“THANK YOU for your patience and your listening ears,” Scott wrote on Instagram, signing off her caption with her beloved nickname, Jilly from Philly.
On To Whom This May Concern, the Philly native collaborates with fellow Philadelphian musicians including rapper Tierra Whack and music producer Adam Blackstone. Other collaborators include rappers Ab-Soul, J.I.D., and Too Short along with producers DJ Premier, Om’Mas Keith, Camper, and Andre Harris, according to Variety.
Scott has appeared in Philly several times in recent years, from singing at her alma mater Girls’ High (where she was also honored with a mural) to performing an incredible set at Roots Picnic 2024 that Inquirer music critic Dan DeLuca said “connected with the crowd with the generosity of spirit that animates everything she does.”
During that show, Scott brought out Whack to debut their soon-to-be-released song, “Norf Philly.”
The To Whom This May Concern album cover features a painting by Chicago artist Marcellous Lovelace and depicts a nude Black woman with large yellow earrings and a matching collar necklace that repeats the message, “We fight.” The design includes affirmations like, “We can save ourselves,” “You cannot touch me,” and “One day we will destroy all of those who wish to harm us.”
“It’s a lot of living in this album,” Scott said about the album in a recent interview. “It’s a lot of revelation. Musically, it’s a full spectrum. Had some wonderful musicians come in. I feel touched all over, literally…The musicianship on this project and the people that gravitated towards it, I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t have ever even imagined who is on this album.”
‘To Whom It May Concern’ is out on Feb. 13.