NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� To know where the is headed in 2026, it is best to look backward.
In 2003, she released her third studio album, 鈥淢oodring,鈥� featuring the track 鈥淪ophisticated Lady.鈥� It wasn’t a single, but it was noteworthy: a new take on 鈥淐old-Blooded,鈥� a swerve into funk music from a performer best known for midtempo slow jams. 鈥淚’ve given you all the baby-making music I can,鈥� she joked to The Associated Press 鈥� and the James cover offered something a little different. It was another sonic direction she was waiting for the right moment to fully explore.
Her tenth studio album, 鈥淩etrospect,鈥� out Friday, threads the needle from then to now. It’s a collection of throwback bangers, weaving 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s Minneapolis funk, pop, R&B and soul in one cheerful, nostalgic package.
鈥淭his is performance music, its personality music, so people get to see another part of my personality 鈥� very laid back, but I鈥檓 not there anymore,鈥� she adds. 鈥淚鈥檓 outside and I鈥檓 having fun and really enjoying my life.鈥�
It’s also her first album in eight years.
The road to 鈥楻etrospect鈥�
During the pandemic, M媒a found herself returning to the music of her childhood for healing 鈥� the stuff that would play in the living room, on at the roller rink, at cookouts: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the S.O.S. Band, 鈥淧rince, Teena Marie, Rick James, Evelyn 鈥淐hampagne鈥� King, Mary Jane Girls, Patrice Rushen. The list goes on and on,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 also a part of the title, 鈥楻etrospect.鈥� It鈥檚 not just retro leading into the 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s. It鈥檚 about introspections as well.鈥�
Those influences are found everywhere: On the opener 鈥淕ive It To You,鈥� she borrows James’ inflections on the word 鈥渆lated.鈥� In the West Coast funk 鈥淛ust a Little Bit,鈥� featuring the Bay Area rapper Too $hort, an ad-lib recalls Michael Jackson’s 鈥淩emember the Time.鈥� The 鈥渨hoo!鈥� at the top of 鈥淣o Pressure鈥� is all Teena Marie. The big ballad 鈥淛ust Call My Name鈥� pulls influence from with its
And even though there’s a treasure trove of rich source material, there are no samples on the release. 鈥淧rince was very adamant about no samples, so I鈥檓 adhering to all of those rules,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 staying there in this independent journey.鈥�
Digging through her influences, and pulling from their insight, has been restorative. 鈥淚鈥檓 being reminded of all of the things that are embedded in my soul,鈥� she says of this music. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much stuff in here that I鈥檓 discovering comes from a specific place.鈥�
And while eight years between albums might sound like a long time for any artist, M媒a has been routinely dropping singles. But for a full-length project, she saw a value in taking her time. 鈥淚鈥檝e actually revisited a few songs, of course, added features, remade (songs), and I鈥檝e taken different approaches for certain tracks as well with my production partner, MyGuyMars. We also remastered the whole album twice after remixing it. It’s about when its right and ready to our ears,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t’s kind of like serving a meal undercooked. You would never want to do that for your customers.鈥�
25 years of 鈥淟ady Marmalade鈥�
Looking at the giants that come before you to write a hooky song is nothing M媒a isn’t used to. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the most fun in the studio and on stage going back. A lot of my career has throwbacks and comes from somewhere. There鈥檚 鈥楪hetto Supastar,鈥� of course, (which) comes Kenny Rogers,鈥� she says. M媒a’s 1998 hit with the Fugees’ Pras Michel and Ol鈥� Dirty Bastard offered a new take on Parton and Rogers’ 鈥淚slands in the Stream.鈥�
Then she shifts gears to one of her best-known tracks: 鈥�’Lady Marmalade,’ we鈥檙e not the first,鈥� she said, referencing the song that first became a hit in 1974 when it was recorded by 鈥淭hey were the pioneers and the creators and the first performers of that song.鈥� M媒a鈥檚 2001 reimagination of the song, which included her, Christina Aguilera, Lil鈥� Kim and Pink, was produced by Missy Elliott and Rockwilder for the Baz Luhrmann
鈥淲e all are still here and still doing our individual things. It鈥檚 something to be celebrated,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I am praying for a reunion, because I think it would be so incredible and emotional, of course, to see each other in one room, to squeeze each other, to work together.鈥�
But for now, it’s all about 鈥淩etrospect.鈥�
鈥淲hen I created this project, it was about joy first and foremost,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want people, when they hear this album, to find themselves or be reminded of the simpler times 鈥� and then all those more introspective records to be jolting.鈥�
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