Jill Scott channels Billie Holiday in a powerful rendition of “Strange Fruit”

Taking on the great Billie Holiday is no easy task, particularly her most iconic and deeply meaningful “Strange Fruit.” That is why Friday’s performance by Jill Scott was so damn heart wrenching and impressive; it was a beautiful performance, and the song still holds relevance today.

The rendition was part of “Shining A Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America” a one-night event presented by A&E Networks and iHeartMedia as a means of furthering the dialogue about equality in our country.

Scott took the stage after a fitting introduction from Morgan Freeman and from there the room was entirely hers. The audience at the event were clearly affected by her performance, which stayed mostly true to Holiday’s original, in both structure and emotion.

You can watch the cover below and catch Jill Scott live this Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center; tickets and more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.