Today, Glasshaus Presents is thrilled to celebrate Black Music Month with the release of Live at Glasshaus, a mid-career retrospective of Grammy-winning artist Bilal featuring Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and Burniss Travis. The live record presents Bilal within an ensemble of luminaries to reimagine standouts from his classic repertoire, shining a spotlight on his ever-evolving artistry that asserts, in 2024, he is at the height of his powers, eternally honing his craft and finding new edges in his voice.
"Soul Sista" originally debuted on Bilal's 2001 album 1st Born Second, earning critical acclaim and solidifying Bilal's status as a leading voice in the neo-soul movement. The song became a defining hit, reaching #18 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and remaining a fan favorite ever since.
Produced by Jarrett Wetherell, founder of Glasshaus Presents, the live rendition is a work of art; the band allows Bilal’s voice to quiver and yearn, building from hushed quiet to ecstatic crackle: WATCH
Surrounded by an intimate studio audience of 100 fans, the project was recorded, filmed, and livestreamed from Glasshaus in Brooklyn, NY. With stripped-down arrangements and ecstatic performance, Bilal wove fresh interpretations of beloved catalog favorites spanning 23 years of recorded output. Over the weekend, fans around the world were able to witness the epic one-night-only concert where the album was captured via a sold-out broadcast livestream.
The setlist is golden: Nine songs stretched into fresh shapes and split up by interludes from Questlove and Common, the latter of whom he affectionately refers to as “my big brother” onstage. There are the expected hits like “Soul Sista” and “Sometimes”, but what makes this even more special is the inclusion of two tracks from Love For Sale—Bilal’s lost early 2000s masterpiece, which went on to reach near-mythic status online. In revisiting these songs, “Something To Hold” and “All For Love,” Bilal reclaims the joy in artistic horizons once-dashed. The album also features “Funky For You” from Common’s seminal Like Water For Chocolate.
Stream Live at Glasshaus HERE
After two decades of Bilal’s high profile contributions with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Beyonce, and Erykah Badu, Live At Glasshaus is a welcomed shift of spotlight––a historic performance by superstars devoted to Bilal as a G.O.A.T. deserving of our full attention.
Fans can pre-order the 2xLP vinyl edition of Live at Glasshaus, a must-have for collectors and audiophiles. Pre-order from Glasshaus Presents: HERE
Praise for Bilal
“Bilal is one of the most pure, honest performance artists of this generation. Truly fearless and I consider it an honor to be allowed to create art with him. He is a true singer’s singer––I mean ask Beyoncé, Jay Z, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Pharrell Williams, Solange, Terrence Blanchard. All the mavericks utilized his gifts and acknowledge his supreme craft. He has changed my standard for singing!”
Questlove
“His genius lies in being able to deliver in so many different spaces. This dude is somebody that will go down as one of the greatest.”
Common
“It's so great 20-something years later that we're here and supporting Bilal, because he's always in our corner helping us, supporting us. He's your favorite singer's favorite singer.”
Robert Glasper
Tracklist:
Something To Hold
All Matter
All For Love
Reminisce
Funky For You
Soul Sista
Interlude: Questlove’s Story
Sometimes
Interlude: Common’s Gratitude
Humility
Levels
