Though she's had her own TV One biopic, Love Under New Management, we haven't heard the name Miki Howard associated with new music in since 2014. However, 2019 seems to be the year of comebacks and Miki's voice is one we're more than happy to welcome back with open arms. The singer returns to the scene to give us a taste of her new musical direction with brand new single "Fed Up!"
Rather than her jazzy R&B stylings we became accustomed to when she rose to fame in the '80s and '90s, Miki takes on a more southern soul sound on her latest song. "Fed Up!" is full of organ riffs, horns and vocal arrangements that automatically evoke modern blues legends. The biggest change in style here, though, is Miki's vocal. She takes on a lower vocal register here that will automatically put you in the mind of Mavis Staples, especially when Miki starts incorporating gospel inflections near the song's end. It's totally unexpected but adds an intensity that makes the song's message — about a woman needing to get out of a years-long abusive relationship with a no-good lover — even clearer.
We're always happy when an established artist returns to show us they've still got it. We especially love it when they give us something we didn't even know we needed. With "Fed Up!" Miki Howard's done just that. Get a listen of Miki's new, even more soulful sound below.
