A Seat at the Table

Solange Knowles spent eight years crafting A Seat at the Table, a project that arrived on September 30, 2016, through her own Saint Records and Columbia. This third studio effort spans fifteen tracks of funk, neo soul, rhythm and blues, and alternative R&B. Solange began writing in 2008 while recording sessions ran from 2013 until mid-2016. She gathered a diverse group of collaborators including Lil Wayne, Q-Tip, The-Dream, BJ the Chicago Kid, Kelly Rowland, Tweet, Sampha, Kelela, and David Longstreth. The record explores themes of Black identity, mental health, and resilience with an intimate, conversational tone.

Critics praised the work immediately, helping it debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with 72,000 album-equivalent units. The lead single Cranes in the Sky earned her first Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Other notable tracks include Don't Touch My Hair, which addresses microaggressions, and Mad, featuring Lil Wayne. In 2020, A Seat at the Table secured spot 312 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. [edit]