For Simone Green, music has always been more than entertainment. It has been a vehicle for storytelling, healing, cultural expression and connection. With her newly released sophomore album, Black Queen, the Chicago-based vocalist, songwriter and culture activist transforms those elements into a six-track declaration of confidence, resilience and self-worth.
Released independently through Green’s own Soulistic360 RPS label, Black Queen was inspired by what Green describes as the strength, brilliance and resilience of Black women. Rather than centering the pain that often accompanies stories of perseverance, the project deliberately shifts the focus toward power, celebration and the right to embrace every hard-earned victory.
“After everything I’ve experienced in my own life—from surviving breast cancer twice, to building businesses, leading bands, and navigating an industry that often asks women, especially Black women, to make themselves smaller—I wanted to create a body of work that celebrates our power instead of our pain,” Green says. “This album is a love letter to Black women who have earned every crown they wear.”
That personal history gives Black Queen an emotional foundation that extends beyond its six songs. Green's journey has included surviving breast cancer twice, establishing herself as a performer and entrepreneur, leading bands and building a career that has stretched across soul, R&B and contemporary music. The result is an album rooted in lived experience but designed to speak broadly to anyone navigating challenges while refusing to surrender their sense of worth.
The project opens with its title track, “Black Queen,” which emerged earlier this year as the album’s first single. The song quickly became a centerpiece of Green’s current artistic chapter, inspiring a promotional tour that took her to New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and her hometown of Chicago. The accompanying music video and song also received exposure through BET Soul, BETher and BET.com.
Now, Green is preparing to introduce another dimension of the album with “Breathe,” a soulful exploration of complicated relationships and the healing process that can follow. Written by Green and Jeffery Dillard and produced by Dillard, the track captures the emotional space between heartbreak, reflection and finding the strength to move forward.
Another standout, “The Message,” draws from Green’s desire to offer encouragement to people carrying burdens that may not always be visible. The song was born from her reflections on the conversations people have when someone admits that they are struggling, have lost their peace or feel as though they are carrying the weight of the world alone.
Green says the song ultimately became an expression of compassion and faith, built around a message of perseverance and belief. Its central idea is simple: even in difficult seasons, there is reason to hold on, breathe and keep moving.
That spirit of encouragement runs through the album’s broader vision. Alongside “Black Queen,” “Breathe” and “The Message,” the project includes “Ooh Wee,” “Married to My Music” and “Love Is The Reason,” creating a compact body of work that explores identity, relationships, artistry, faith and love.
Production on the album comes from SFR, Jeffery Dillard and Arnell Newman, with Green remaining closely connected to the project’s songwriting and creative direction.
For Green, the music is also about legacy. She wants Black Queen to remind listeners that their stories have value, their voices deserve space and their accomplishments do not require outside permission.
“My hope is that when people hear it, they don’t just listen to the music—they feel seen, empowered, and reminded to wear their crown boldly,” Green says.
That message will continue beyond the recording itself as Green takes Black Queen to the stage. Her upcoming Black Queen Tour will bring the singer to City Winery venues, beginning in her hometown of Chicago with performances January 5 and 6, followed by St. Louis on January 7 and Boston on January 22.
For Green, opening the tour in Chicago carries particular significance. The city has been central to her artistic evolution since she relocated there from Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1997. She went on to co-found the band Soul Sanctuary, perform for sold-out audiences and establish herself as a respected presence in Chicago’s music community.
“I am beyond thrilled to be able to headline my own, City Winery tour in various markets,” Green says. “This has been a longtime coming and a dream come to fruition, and I get to kick it off in my home-town of Chicago.”
She adds that she is looking forward to bringing the “Simone Green experience” to audiences night after night.
Green’s career extends well beyond the live stage. Her work includes a No. 1 independent radio hit, “We Could Be,” as well as vocal and music placements connected to campaigns for brands including Walmart, Toyota and the Illinois Lottery. Her voice has also appeared in projects including CBS Networks’ Dance Revolution and ABC’s Ugly Betty.
Those experiences have helped shape an artist whose work sits comfortably between soul, R&B and contemporary music while maintaining a strong connection to cultural storytelling.
With Black Queen, Green brings those worlds together in a project that is deeply personal without being confined to her own story. It is music about surviving, loving, believing, healing and recognizing the strength that can emerge from everything a person has lived through.
And as Green takes the project from streaming platforms to concert stages, the crown at the center of Black Queen becomes more than a metaphor. It becomes an invitation—to acknowledge the journey, honor the resilience and step into the next chapter without asking permission.
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