Cynthia Erivo is Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and a Tony Award recipient. Alongside being an amazing actress, she is now ready to immerse in the music world as well. She released her debut single, “The Good.”
“The Good” is the Lead Single off Ch. 1 Vs. 1
“The Good” arrives as the lead single for Cynthia’s debut album, set to release in September later this year. The album will be titled Ch. 1 Vs. 1 and will arrive via Verve Records.
Prior to “The Good,” Cynthia had already explored the music field with her collaborations with John Legend, Shoshana Bean, and even Chance the Rapper. She also performed a solo song for the musical Harriet, where she presented “Stand Up.”
“The Good” showcases Cynthia’s smooth vocals over soul-infused, feel-good instrumentals. Despite its upbeat tempo, its lyrics tell a more somber story. Cynthia details a failed relationship but decides to remember the good times. The song is accompanied by a cinematic music video. It was directed by Mollie Mills and stars Cynthia Erivo herself in a story about Black queer love. She felt it was important to represent the nuances and intimacy of a relationship between two Black women, something she feels is often lacking in on-screen portrayals.
“I wanted to normalize seeing Black women in a relationship on screen because often it’s really fetishistic,” Cynthia told Rolling Stone. She emphasizes the message that relationships can be incredibly meaningful, even if they don’t work out in the end.
“In storytelling, chapter one and verse one is the way you always begin, and because I believe I’m a storyteller, that’s what I wanted to do with my music,” Cynthia says. “That’s what this is about, just starting [and revealing] the human parts of me that you don’t often get to see.”
Ch. 1 Vs. 1 will consist of 12 tracks detailing a journey of heartbreak and growth and will span the genres of soul, pop, R&B, and gospel. Be on the lookout for it on September 17!
