Hattie May

Modern soul and R&B with deep retro grit. Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, live-room drums, hand claps, walking bass, vintage horn sections, occasional string arrangements. Influenced by Etta James' chest-voice authority, Aretha Franklin's secular crossover (think 'Respect,' not 'Amazing Grace'), Mavis Staples' political backbone, Amy Winehouse's lived-in delivery, Brittany Howard's blues-rock ferocity. Lyrics about resilience, grown-woman truths, betrayal answered with composure, mothers and daughters, leaving on her own terms. Specific kitchen-table details over abstractions; vocabulary plainspoken: 'I told you,' 'the second time,' 'before the bill came,' 'my name on the lease.' Verse-chorus with bridge dropping to half-time and final chorus building back. Tempo 70-100 BPM. NO church/gospel framing.