To Whom This May Concern

To Whom This May Concern
Studio album by
Jill Scott
ReleasedFebruary 13, 2026 (2026-02-13)
Genres
Length58:11
Labels
Producers
Jill Scott chronology
Woman
(2015)		 To Whom This May Concern
(2026)
Singles from To Whom This May Concern
  1. "Beautiful People"
    Released: January 2, 2026
  2. "Pressha"
    Released: January 9, 2026

To Whom This May Concern is the sixth studio album by the American singer Jill Scott. It was released on February 13, 2026, by Blues Babe, Human Re Sources, and The Orchard. The album is Jill Scott's first full-length project in eleven years,[1] stemming from a hiatus that Scott described as a time of prioritizing her personal growth, navigating life transitions, and "wait[ing] to be inspired."

Similar to Scott's previous projects, To Whom This May Concern expands on Scott's neo soul and spoken word roots, yet incorporates elements of New Orleans jazz and blues, hip-hop, funk, alternative R&B, and disco. It blends live instrumentation, such as horns and strings with contemporary production. The album explores self-worth, spirituality, and affirmations in the wake of Scott's own personal setbacks, as well as themes of love, philosophy, Black history, and community.

The album features collaborations from Ab-Soul, JID, Tierra Whack, and Too Short, along with production from longtime collaborator Andre Harris, Adam Blackstone, Camper, DJ Premier, and Trombone Shorty.[2]

Upon release, the album received universal acclaim from critics for its vocals, themes, and experimental approach while maintaining Scott's signature style. The album debuted at number 33 on the Billboard 200, including number 6 on the Independent Albums and number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts with 22,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week. The album spawned two singles, "Beautiful People" and "Pressha", the latter which Scott performed live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Scott embarked on the To Whom This May Concern World Tour in June 2026.


Background

Throughout the 2020s, Jill Scott made appearances on various artists' tracks, notably Alicia Keys, Camper, Kehlani, Sir, Teyana Taylor, Ty Dolla Sign and Tyla. She also embarked on multiple tours throughout the early 2020s to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut studio album Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (2000). On June 1, 2024, Scott headlined the Roots Picnic music festival and performed an unreleased song with rapper Tierra Whack, which she also previewed prior to announcing her album in 2025.[3]

On December 22, 2025, Jill Scott posted a promotional video on her Instagram account hinting at new music for the following year. In the video, she explained her process and her hiatus from music since her last studio album Woman (2015). "My process kind of works like this: I wait to be inspired," Scott said in the video. "And that takes time and patience [un]til the words are dripping out of my mouth." Along with the video, Scott previewed the first single for the project, "Beautiful People."[4]

Release and promotion

On January 2, 2026, Jill Scott announced the album's title and artwork on social media and released the first single "Beautiful People" on all streaming services. The album was made available for pre-order the same day, featuring vinyl, CDs and exclusive bundles with merchandise. The album's second single "Pressha" was released the following week on January 9, 2026.[5]

The album cover artwork is by the Chicago artist Marcellous "Infinito 2017" Lovelace, who said "It was her coming to me, not a company or people asking me to do something. It was literally a genuine connection..."[6]

Commercial performance

To Whom This May Concern debuted at number 33 on the US Billboard 200, including number 6 on the Independent Albums and number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts with 22,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[9]
The Arts DeskStarStarStarStar[10]
Beats Per Minute77/100[11]
Clash8/10[12]
musicOMHStarStarStarHalf star[13]
Pitchfork8/10[14]
PopMatters8/10[15]
The Quietus(favorable)[16]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[17]
Variety(favorable)[18]

To Whom This May Concern was met with critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 82, based on 13 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[8]

Andy Kellman of AllMusic praised the album's musical variety and Scott's lyrical themes, writing, "She's full of fire, uncommonly dexterous both vocally and in emotion -- scathing, instructing, loving, and funny as all get out. All 360 degrees of the Jill Scott experience are presented here."[9] The Arts Desk journalist Guy Oddy described the album's sound as "brimming with improvisational spirit", writing, "[To Whom This May Concern] is an absolute gem that is equal parts magic, joyfulness and a reflection of the times in which we find ourselves."[10] Mary Chiney of Beats Per Minute wrote, "To Whom This May Concern does not attempt to redefine Jill Scott's artistic identity. It deepens it. The record listens more than it announces, observes more than it persuades. In a musical theme that rewards velocity, Scott offers duration, attention sustained long enough for meaning to settle."[11] Joshua Khan of Clash wrote, "The oscillation between moods is deafening, but effortless as Scott's come-ons and teardowns are a poetic masterclass."[12] In the opinion of Pitchfork's Marcus J. Moore, the album "might feel scattered to those wanting her more characteristic, sensuous R&B," while it simultaneously "does a good job of flaring in different directions while keeping close to Scott's artistic core."[14] Jeremy McDonagh of PopMatters regarded To Whom This May Concern as "an album for connoisseurs of strong, impactful vocals."[15] Arusa Qureshi of The Quietus wrote, "She may be six albums in, but having taken the time to pause and recalibrate, Scott is proving that she still has much to say and a voice that is worth listening to."[16] Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone described the album as a "freshly made portrait of a warmly familiar, complex, all-too-human artist".[17] Steven J. Horowitz of Variety noted that the album was Scott's most experimental album to date, describing it as "a project that paints with wildly broad strokes and continuously returns on its investment."[18]

Track listing

To Whom This May Concern track listing[19]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Dope Shit" (featuring Maha Adachi Earth)
  • Bell
  • Harris
0:55
2."Be Great" (featuring Trombone Shorty)
  • Blackstone
  • D.K. The Punisher
  • Trombone Shorty
  • Scott[a]
3:12
3."Beautiful People"
Keith3:47
4."Offdaback"
  • Scott
  • Riley Geare
  • Vincent Tolan
  • Geare
  • VT
3:28
5."Norf Side" (featuring Tierra Whack)
DJ Premier2:51
6."Disclaimer"ScottScott0:31
7."Pay U on Tuesday"
3:04
8."Pressha"
  • Scott
  • Blackstone
  • Tolan
  • Blackstone
  • VT
4:16
9."BPOTY" (featuring Too Short)
Mateen3:04
10."Me 4"
Seige Monstracity1:34
11."The Math"
Camper3:28
12."A Universe"
  • Scott
  • Geare
  • Tolan
  • Geare
  • VT
3:17
13."Liftin' Me Up"
  • Scott
  • Eric Wortham
  • Dwayne Wright
  • Wortham
  • DW
4:25
14."Ode to Nikki" (featuring Ab-Soul)
2:51
15."Don't Play"
  • Scott
  • White
Seige Monstracity2:42
16."To B Honest" (with JID)
Seige Monstracity4:30
17."Right Here Right Now"
4:24
18."Àṣẹ"
  • Scott
  • Harris
Harris3:11
19."Sincerely Do"
2:41
Total length:58:11

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[19]

Musicians

  • Jill Scott – instruments (track 1), lead vocals (2–19), background vocals (3, 4, 9–11, 14)
  • Maha Adachi Earth – spoken word (1)
  • Om'Mas Keith – arrangement (2, 3, 17), drum machine (3), drums (17)
  • The Shindellas – background vocals (2, 3)
  • Adam Blackstone – wind instrument (2); arrangement, strings (7); music direction, keyboards (8)
  • Trombone Shorty – horn (2, 13)
  • Lizzy Komba – background vocals (2, 15)
  • Jamar Jones – music arrangement, strings (2)
  • Dan Oestreicher – baritone saxophone (2)
  • Terance Vaughn – drums (2)
  • BK Jackson – tenor saxophone (2)
  • Dontae Winslow – tuba (2)
  • Matthew Banner – tuba (2)
  • Claude Kelly – background vocals (3)
  • Vincent "VT" Tolan – bass guitar (4, 8, 12), arrangement (12)
  • Riley Geare – drums (4, 12)
  • Tierra Whack – lead vocals (5)
  • Melvin Jones – trombone (7), trumpet (13)
  • Erskine Hawkins – arrangement, piano (7)
  • Brian Frasier Moore – drums (7)
  • Randy Bowland – guitar (7)
  • Aaron Draper – drums (7)
  • Chuck Harmony – piano (7)
  • Tim Green – saxophone (7)
  • Kev Choice – arrangement (8)
  • Tyries Rolf – strings (8)
  • Ayo Brame – tenor saxophone (8)
  • Richard Benitez III – trumpet (8)
  • Khari Mateen – arrangement, bass guitar (9)
  • Too Short – lead vocals (9)
  • Paul "DW" Wright – bass guitar (13, 16)
  • Eric Wortham – keyboards (13, 16)
  • Hairston Bradley – drums (13)
  • Monsieur Dominique Thomas – percussion (13)
  • Michael Burton – saxophone (13)
  • Wilbert Williams – trombone (13)
  • Ab-Soul – lead vocals (14)
  • Mr Groove – piano (14)
  • Jett Roberts – background vocals (15)
  • JID – lead vocals (16)
  • Andre Harris – arrangement, bass guitar (18)
  • Myles Sweeney – piano (19)

Technical

  • Jeremy Hunter – engineering (2, 4–16, 18, 19)
  • Eduardo Ghigo – engineering (2, 4–16, 18)
  • Dillon Brady – engineering (2)
  • Om'Mas Keith – engineering (3, 17)
  • Vincent "VT" Tolan – mixing
  • Zach "Ekzakt" Perry – mixing
  • Ariadni Kidonis – additional mixing
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Marcellous "Infinito 2017" Lovelace – art work

Charts

Chart performance for To Whom This May Concern
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Japanese Dance & Soul Albums (Oricon)[21] 8
Japanese Download Albums (Billboard Japan)[22] 89
Japanese Western Albums (Oricon)[23] 30
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[24]38
UK Albums Sales (OCC)[25] 12
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[26]4
UK R&B Albums (Official Charts)[27]1
US Billboard 200[28]33
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[29]6
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[30]10

Release history

To Whom This May Concern release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 13, 2026
[31]

References

  1. ↑ Horowitz, Steven J. (January 2, 2026). "Jill Scott Announces New Album 'To Whom This May Concern,' Her First in Over a Decade". Variety. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Tierra Whack and J.I.D. feature on Jill Scott's first studio album in a decade". The Line of Best Fit. January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  3. ↑ Woods, Kathia (February 19, 2024). "Philadelphia's Roots Picnic announce lineup for 2024, Jill Scott as a headliner". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Miss Jill Scott's Instagram Video". Instagram.com. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  5. ↑ Hussain, Shahzaib. "Jill Scott Shares New Single 'Pressha'". CLASH Magazine. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  6. ↑ Lamarre, Eddy. "The artist who inspires Jill Scott with an Afro Urban touch". Rolling Out. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Jill Scott earns her ninth top 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 'To Whom This May Concern". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "To Whom This May Concern by Jill Scott". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Kellman, Andy (February 13, 2026). "To Whom This May Concern Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Oddy, Guy (February 13, 2026). "Neo-soul queen Jill Scott returns from the wilderness with the 'To Whom This May Concern'". The Arts Desk. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Chiney, Mary (February 19, 2026). "Album Review: Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Khan, Joshua (February 13, 2026). "Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern". Clash. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  13. ↑ Murphy, John (February 12, 2026). "Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern". musicOMH. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Moore, Marcus J. (February 18, 2026). "To Whom This May Concern". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  15. 1 2 McDonagh, Jeremy (February 9, 2026). "Jill Scott's New Music Is As Vibrant As Ever". PopMatters. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Qureshi, Arusa (February 13, 2026). "Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern". The Quietus. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  17. 1 2 Reeves, Mosi (February 13, 2026). "Neo-soul queen Jill Scott returns from the wilderness with the 'To Whom This May Concern'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  18. 1 2 Horowitz, Steven J. (February 13, 2026). "Jill Scott Pulls From All Directions Yet Centers the Sound on Triumphant 'To Whom This May Concern': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  19. 1 2 "To Whom This May Concern / Jill Scott / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  20. ↑ Khan, Joshua (February 13, 2026). "Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Oricon Dance & Soul Albums: March 16, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Billboard Japan Download Albums – February 25, 2026". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Oricon Western Albums: March 16, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart on 27/02/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Jill Scott Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Jill Scott Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Jill Scott Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  31. ↑ "To Whom This May Concern by Jill Scott". February 13, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026 – via Apple Music.
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