THE LIGHT OF THE SUN: WHAT JILL SCOTT'S THIRD ALBUM TAUGHT US ABOUT MIDLIFE CLARITY

When The Light of the Sun dropped in 2011, it didn’t dominate the charts or headlines like Jill Scott’s earlier work. Critics called it scattered, melancholic and boring. (Yes, boring.)

I never felt it to be any of those things. In fact, I immediately took to this album like very few before. And now, I think I know why.

The four years between albums mattered. In those years, Jill went through a divorce, left her longtime label, stepped into acting, and became a mother. The Light of the Sun reflected all of that in her return as an independent artist at age 39.

One thing I’ll agree with the critics on? It wasn’t polished.

And for me, that’s what made it brilliant.

This album was raw and rooted. It was an album for healing. For release. For becoming…with no audience in mind.

The songs were improvisational, unfiltered, and bold. She scats and ad-libs. She even breathes into the mic at one point! Jill had clearly been through some things and instead of packaging it all up neatly, she invited us into her journey towards clarity.

The Music World During the Break

Jill Scott returned to a changed Neo-Soul landscape.  A new wave had emerged.  Artists like Frank Ocean, Solange, and Miguel were rising with sleek, minimalist sounds that felt futuristic.

Scott experimented in her own way but stayed rooted in bold brass, jazz sounds and spoken word style.

This wasn’t an album built for the mainstream.

This album was for her.

Self-honoring.

What It Teaches Us About Midlife Clarity?

Healing and growth may not be celebrated by the masses.

Relationships evolve and expire.

Liberation can feel confusing.

Self-love (especially for black women) might be labeled as self-indulgence.

And still…we are allowed to hold both joy and heaviness at the same time.We can be unpolished. We can be honest. We can make our own rules.

When we step boldly into who we are, the response often mirrors what happened with Scott’s album:

Years later, the same critics circled back.

Revisited the work.

Recognized its brilliance.

…Jill Scott knew she was The Light of the Sun the whole time.