Soul artist Talibah still lives in the Memphis neighborhood where she grew up, which she says is full of the energy she seems to exude herself. Her warmth, radiance and genuineness is evident even to those like myself, who had only met her once before.

She's still social within the neighborhood and her brother and the baby nieces she adores are just a few houses down, giving her a built-in network in this strange era marked by so much separation.

"I'm honestly enjoying this time,” said Talibah, noting that her friends and family have remained healthy, and that she’s been able to focus on exploring and working on her music, slowing down, and taking time to just be.

Of course, for an artist engaged in the social and cultural issues of this moment, complacency is impossible — a sentiment Talibah eludes to in her new song "Ten Toes Down," in which she croons

"Maybe I don't want to feel right now.

"Or do you want to know the real right now?

"You said you wanted healing,

"Then don't avoid this feeling."

I photographed Talibah in September, and when I messaged her just after the election results were announced this month, she was full of the same passion, yearning and personal commitment of her music.

"I hope [President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris] make us proud, but I'm not holding my breath, we have to keep breathing and make ourselves proud."

I first met Talibah about a year and a half ago when she was performing in Chicago. It was a fantastic show, and I certainly miss the days of live music right now. I asked her if she missed performing, and she said she'd performed outside the other night to a crowd of about 10 people—all distanced and with masks on—as well as more viewers online.

“Do you know how it is if you cut your finger and you realize just how much you need that finger and use it all the time?" she said. "That's what seeing a crowd in front of me while I performed felt like,” she said. "I didn't realize just how much I needed it and needed to feel their presence."