Tracy Chapman made herself rare with a last original album in 2008, Our Bright Future and a compilation in 2015. His return to the stage of the Grammy Awards, the American music awards, earned him a huge “standing ovation” on February 4 in Los Angeles. The 59-year-old artist returned to perform Fast Cara 1988 song, a duet with 33-year-old country crooner Luke Combs.
Exciting news!! Tracy Chapman will perform “Fast Car” with Luke Combs during the 2024 Grammys.
Though she has not performed publicly in years, she’s joining @lukecombs to sing “Fast Car” at the Grammys @recordingacademy after his cover became one of the most popular songs of 2023 pic.twitter.com/NTdRvq3D71— Tracy Chapman (@tchapmanonline) February 1, 2024
At Wembley, to celebrate Mandela imprisoned
With her long braids and her guitar slung over her shoulder, the singer from Cleveland revived her intact legend. His presence, always radiant, his voice always pure and vibrant, recalled his aura among younger generations. Fast Car was one of Tracy Chapman’s first hits, which she made popular by performing it at the Wembley concert against apartheid in South Africa on June 11, 1988, for Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday, at the time imprisoned. The song got a second life thanks to Luke Combs’ cover this year.
A committed artist, Tracy Chapman made herself famous with Talkin’about a Revolution, at the crossroads of blues, folk and rock. She also performed ballads like Baby Can I Hold You, Crossroads, New Beginning et Sing for you. Her journey began in the Baptist church in her disadvantaged neighborhood of Cleveland (Ohio) where she sang in the choirs, like Aretha Franklin did in her early days in Detroit (Michigan), or Gregory Porter in California.
Graduate in anthropology and African studies
It was thanks to a support program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds that Tracy Chapman was able to study in an excellent educational establishment in Connecticut. Admitted to Tufts University in Boston, she obtained a Bachelor of arts in anthropology and African studies in 1986.
Writing the words and music of her songs, refusing to make concessions to the times and the music industry, Tracy Chapman impressed her peers and her audience with her integrity and the solidity of her political commitments. A civil rights activist, she participated in an Amnesty International tour alongside Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’Dour. Barack Obama received it at the White House. Many American artists, like Luke Combs, or African artists like Corneille, were inspired by his spare and powerful style.
With eight studio albums and two compilations, selling more than 40 million copies worldwide, Tracy Chapman has not made many records. She only returned to the forefront for her performance at the Grammy Awards, which also honored another legend, Joni Mitchell and, by rewarding Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus, gave pride of place to musicians and singers. Tracy Chapman, faithful to her habits of discretion, has not promised a new album to her fans, who, however, are hoping for one.