Kandace Springs

Kandace Springs has presented her polished fusion of R&B, jazz, and pop on the Blue Note albums Soul Eyes (2016), Indigo (2018), and The Women Who Raised Me (2020). Although an overarching aesthetic unites the three projects, each one offers its own blend of classic and modern influences. The opening pair both reached the number-two slot on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart.

This Nashville native reached the esteemed Blue Note roster through her father, session vocalist Scat Springs, who first placed her at the piano and shared classic recordings by Nina Simone and Luther Vandross. At age 15 the younger Springs made a demo with him that he delivered to veteran producers Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, whose credits include Stephanie Mills, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna. Their advocacy secured her an audition with Blue Note president Don Was and ultimately a contract. Two months after admirer Prince flew her to Minneapolis to perform at Paisley Park, Springs issued her self-titled EP in September 2014, recorded with Rogers, Sturken, and Pop & Oak. Featured appearances on tracks by Ghostface Killah, Aqualung, and Black Violin preceded her debut full-length, Soul Eyes. Released in June 2016 and produced by Larry Klein, the set combined originals and covers with an emphasis on lean instrumentation.

Springs turned to a comparatively dense sound on Indigo, working extensively with Karriem Riggins while retaining Rogers and Sturken as key co-writers. Issued in September 2018, the album again mixed interpretations of older and newer material, among them Thom Bell and Linda Creed’s “People Make the World Go Round,” popularized by the Stylistics, and Gabriel Garzón-Montano’s “6 8.” The Women Who Raised Me arrived in March 2020; reuniting with Klein, Springs pursued a traditional jazz direction while saluting Carmen McRae, Roberta Flack, Sade, and Lauryn Hill.