Rhiannon Giddens often experiences a profound connection to her ancestry while playing the banjo. She shares, “There’s times I’m playing the banjo and I feel the ancestors. I feel the spirits come through.” This deep connection keeps her grounded and motivated in the music industry.

Giddens is known for her music rooted in the Black string band tradition, which dates back to the era of slavery. Her talents extend to collaborations like playing the banjo on Beyoncé’s track “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Additionally, she serves as the artistic director of the Silk Road Ensemble. Founded by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, this group explores musical collaborations with artists worldwide, incorporating a range of cultural traditions.

Her recent album, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, draws inspiration from a poem by Emily Dickinson. The concept of hope resonates deeply with Giddens, connecting her to her ancestors who faced severe poverty in the American South. She expresses, “What right do I have to not have hope when I don’t have to worry about starving?”

Giddens does not see herself as overly optimistic but acknowledges a belief in individual potential. “I’m not saying I’m a Pollyanna,” she clarifies, “because I don’t have a lot of faith in humanity, but I have a faith in humans.”

The interview was produced and edited for broadcast by Therese Madden and Nico Gonzalez Wisler, while Bridget Bentz and Molly Seavy-Nesper adapted it for web publication.