# Emily's D+Evolution

Emily's D+Evolution is the fifth studio album by American musician Esperanza Spalding, released on 4 March 2016 by Concord Records.

## Background

The album was co-produced by Spalding and longtime David Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti. On the album, Spalding sings through the alter ego of Emily, which is her middle name. In an interview, Spalding stated that Emily "is a spirit, or a being, or an aspect who I met, or became aware of. I recognize that my job...is to be her arms and ears and voice and body".

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Aggregate scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.9/10 |
| Metacritic | 84/100 |
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz | |
| AllMusic | |
| Exclaim! | 7/10 |
| The Guardian | |
| Now | |
| Pitchfork | 8.6/10 |
| PopMatters | 9/10 |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Stereophile | |
| Tom Hull | B |
Emily's D+Evolution received widespread critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 84, based on 14 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".
Marcus J. Moore of Pitchfork Media praised the album, stating, "The lyrics are elusive at first, darting behind fast-moving songs and delivered in impressionistic, conversational bursts that recall the delivery of Joni Mitchell. But the fearless generosity behind them communicates itself loud and clear, and it's a spirit that animates the entire album. With it, Spalding has once again redefined an already singular career, dictating a vision entirely on her own terms". Michael J. Warren of Exclaim! commented, "Emily's D+Evolution is a tough album to get a full grasp on. It's not a neat alter ego side project; rather than going the Chris Gaines route, Esperanza Spalding is again flexing her range, showing that her playing style and voice can find a home in any genre. There are moments here where she falls into a nice pocket that the listener might wish she'd remain in for a little while longer." Christopher R. Weingarten of Rolling Stone added, "...Emily’s D+Evolution is a far more ambitious and thornier affair. The lyrics, flowing in disjunctive clusters, are about deleted narratives, glass ceilings and dreams deferred – ultimately a complex, funky prog-rock concept opera about love and identity.

## Track listing

All tracks are written by Esperanza Spalding, except where noted

## Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Emily's D+Evolution.

### Main personnel

* Esperanza Spalding – vocals, bass (tracks 1-11, 13, 14), piano (10, 12), bass synthesizer (12)
* Matthew Stevens – guitar
* Karriem Riggins – drums (2-5, 7, 8, 10, 13), percussion (9)
* Justin Tyson – drums (1, 6, 11, 12, 14)
* Corey King – backing vocals (1, 2, 5-7, 12-14), synthesizer (6), trombone (8), keyboards (12)
* Emily Elbert – backing vocals (1, 6, 11, 12, 14)
* Nadia Washington – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 13)
* Celeste Butler, Fred Martin, Katriz Trinidad, Kimberly L. Cook-Ratliff – backing vocals (11)

### Additional personnel

* Esperanza Spalding – production
* Tony Visconti – production (2-5, 7-10, 13), mixing (2-5, 7, 9, 10)
* Kyle Hoffman – engineering
* Tim Price – engineering
* Erin Tonkon, Kyle McAulay, Martin Cooke, Nicolas Fournier – assistant engineering
* Rich Costey – mixing (1, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13)
* Mario Borgatta – assistant mixing
* Paul Blakemore – mastering
* Lawrence Azerrad – graphics, design
* Holly Andres – photography

## Charts

| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) | 148 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 175 |
| French Albums (SNEP) | 181 |
| US Billboard 200 | 88 |
| US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard) | 1 |