Judith Hill at Yoshi's Oakland

Gutsy and nuanced as a vocalist, Judith Hill is an accomplished songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist – and one of the few musicians who can cite Elton John, Spike Lee, Prince, and Michael Jackson among those who have sought out her talent. One of the highest-profile background singers of her generation, she got her start in the early 2000s, and in the next decade established a solo career built upon a discography of increasingly refined and creative albums that includes the Prince-produced Back in Time (2015), Golden Child (2018), Baby, I'm Hollywood! (2021), and her recent album, Letters from a Black Widow (2024). ...

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Gutsy and nuanced as a vocalist, Judith Hill is an accomplished songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist – and one of the few musicians who can cite Elton John, Spike Lee, Prince, and Michael Jackson among those who have sought out her talent. One of the highest-profile background singers of her generation, she got her start in the early 2000s, and in the next decade established a solo career built upon a discography of increasingly refined and creative albums that includes the Prince-produced Back in Time (2015), Golden Child (2018), Baby, I'm Hollywood! (2021), and her recent album, Letters from a Black Widow (2024). 
Letters from a Black Widow, delves into her struggles after the deaths of Michael Jackson and Prince, two iconic artists who selected Hill for collaborations. After Jackson’s sudden passing in June 2009, Hill sang lead on a number at Jackson’s memorial service, putting her on the worldwide map. Her rise to fame is explored in “20 Feet from Stardom,” the Oscar-winning documentary film narrated by Morgan Freeman. Hill wrote a stirring soundtrack to Spike Lee's 2012 film, "Red Hook Summer." Her diverse recording/performing credits include Gerard Way, Prince, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, Johnny Mathis, Perry Farrell, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, Gregg Allman and Hozier. She sessioned with artists ranging from jazz guitarist George Benson to electronic music pioneer Mike Oldfield; co-wrote Iggy Azalea's Jennifer Hudson collaboration, "Trouble"; and collaborated with Eric Clapton as a featured vocalist on his 2023 single, "How Could We Know." The daughter of musicians Michiko Hill and Pee Wee Hill, Judith Hill earned a degree in music composition from Biola University, near her native Los Angeles.

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