The special was filmed last December in front of 100 fans and “is a tribute to Bilal’s extraordinary vocal and musical range.”
Grammy-winning singer Bilal’s intimate concert film, Bilal: Live at Glasshaus, will premiere on Nov. 20.
Glasshaus announced that the concert film, which also features performances from Bilal’s closest collaborators like Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper and Burniss Travis, will premiere on its YouTube channel.
“I felt comfortable to create because I knew I had some of the best motherfuckers in the world playing, so it was a great springboard,” Bilal tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I like intimate vibes where everyone’s drawing off the energy in the room. When you’re up there making something and giving, with the people up there listening and receiving, it creates this circular motion of energy. And that’s what you try to do as an artist, create a timeless moment.”
Bilal: Live at Glasshaus was filmed last December in front of 100 fans. The concert film synopsis reads: “Bilal: Live at Glasshaus is a tribute to Bilal’s extraordinary vocal and musical range, as well as his status as one of the most unsung innovators in contemporary music. This film places Bilal in his enviable context as ‘your favorite artist’s favorite artist,’ with a narrative shaped by the voices of Questlove, Common and Glasper, who have witnessed his genius first hand for over two decades.”
Bilal was part of the neo-soul movement that emerged in the early 2000s and he released his debut album, 1st Born Second, in 2001. It featured the hit “Soul Sista” and included collaborations with Questlove, Dr. Dre, J Dilla, Marsha Ambrosius and Common. He won the Grammy for best rap/sung collaboration in 2016 for his guest appearance on Kendrick Lamar’s “These Walls.” Bilal’s latest album, Adjust Brightness, was released in September.
“Bilal is one of the most pure, honest performance artists of this generation,” Questlove tells THR. “Truly fearless and I consider it an honor to be allowed to create art with him. He is a true singer’s singer — I mean ask Beyoncé, Jay-Z, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Pharrell Williams, Solange, Terrence Blanchard. All the mavericks utilized his gifts and acknowledged his supreme craft. He has changed my standard for singing!”
Adds Common: “Bilal is extremely, uniquely, divinely gifted in a way that you won’t be able to go to many places on this planet and find anybody who can do what he does. You won’t find anybody like him because he has truly voiced his individualism in his art and has truly known who he is at an early age.”
Bilal: Live at Glasshaus was directed, produced and edited by Glasshaus founder Jarrett Wetherell, with cinematography by Chase Smith, known for his work with The Weeknd, Billie Eilish and SZA.
“This film is a love letter to one of the greatest vocalists of our time,” Wetherell tells THR. “Bilal delivers a sense of vulnerability in his performance and interview that we rarely see from artists today. It’s intimate in a way that puts you inside the studio with these five legends, immersed in their music and moment. Glasshaus couldn’t be more proud to present this work in service of Bilal.”
