Born in Germany and raised in Washington, D.C., Meshell Ndegeocello has had a defiantly unique career path, experimenting with diverse genres and collaborating with a wide range of artists, including Madonna, John Mellencamp, The Rolling Stones, Alanis Morissette, and Basement Jaxx, among many others. Her debut album, Plantation Lullabies, was released in 1993 and featured the hit single "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)." She's stayed busy in the two decades since, recording for multiple labels and being heavily involved with activism for various causes. Pour Une Ame Souveraine is her 10th full-length, which finds her paying tribute to legendary vocalist Nina Simone. Ndegeocello reinvents many of Simone's classic songs while injecting her own impossible-to-pigeonhole style. Standouts include "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" (with Cody Chesnutt), "House of the Rising Sun" (with Toshi Reagon), and "Don't Take All Night," featuring Sinead O'Connor.