Nnenna Freelon is a seven-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, composer, producer, author, and a passionate advocate for arts education. With a distinguished career spanning over three decades, she has released twelve critically acclaimed albums and performed on prestigious stages around the world—from the North Sea Jazz Festival to the Hollywood Bowl—bringing artistry, soul, and cultural depth to audiences across the globe. Freelon is also the creator and host of Great Grief, an award-winning podcast that delves into the emotional terrain of love and loss through music and storytelling. Recognized in 2021 by the Public Media Journalists Association as one of the best narrative podcasts on grief, the series offers a soulful invitation to improvise in the midst of mourning. Married for 40 years to renowned architect Philip G. Freelon, FAIA, Phil and Nnenna shared a creative family life rooted in culture and community. In 2016, Phil was diagnosed with ALS. He approached his illness with the same clarity, adaptability, and intentionality that defined his architectural legacy—including his role as lead architect of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. After his passing in 2019, and the loss of her sister shortly thereafter, Nnenna turned to what she calls her “grief sojourn”—an artistic and spiritual exploration of the intersections between mourning and creative expression. In 2024, she delivered a powerful keynote on ALS advocacy on the National Mall, standing just steps away from the museum her husband helped design—a symbolic moment of love, loss, and legacy. Her debut book, Beneath the Skin of Sorrow: Improvisations on Loss (Duke University Press), is set for release on October 21, 2025. Blending memoir, homage to jazz, and meditations on bereavement, the book is part love story, part guide to creative practice in healing. Nnenna will embark on a national book tour following its release.