On 'Miss Black America,' singer-songwriter Kirby pays homage to her Mississippi roots

By Ari Shapiro,

Mia Venkat, Ashley Brown

Published September 1, 2025 at 2:19 PM MDT

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with soul singer KIRBY about her new album, Miss Black America, and how her Mississippi roots have shaped her music.

Ari Shapiro

Ari Shapiro has been one of the hosts of All Things Considered, NPR's award-winning afternoon newsmagazine, since 2015. During his first two years on the program, listenership to All Things Considered grew at an unprecedented rate, with more people tuning in during a typical quarter-hour than any other program on the radio.

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Mia Venkat

Ashley Brown

Ashley Brown is a senior editor for All Things Considered.

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