A legendary performer who will turn 85 next month on July 10, Mavis Staples continues to be a tour-de-force in music and a voice for the voiceless in today’s divided society. Well known for her work in the gospel and Americana space, Staples is also an R&B icon who famously worked with the one and only Prince in his 80’s heyday. Reminiscent of those records, she is sharing the new song ‘Worthy’. Written and produced by Mark Ronson protégé MNDR, the song came to fruition via an all-women team, while Ms. Staples makes it all her own. As a black woman who lent her voice to the civil rights movement, the song vibrates through Mavis’s unique perspective as both a call to action and an infectious, dance-worthy tune; check it out below.

“Working with the legendary Mavis Staples seems like a dream,” MNDR gushed. “Listening to her soulful voice, spending time in her grace, and watching her artistry in the studio as the trailblazing icon of music and culture was an experience too profound to put into words and one that I will never forget. As I listened to her breathe life into our song “Worthy”—a song of celebration through good times and hard times, a song to celebrate ourselves and others—I realized that there is no other artist who could give this song more spirit and soul than Mavis Staples, a legend, an icon. It was one of the most profound moments of my life, and I am forever grateful.”

The artwork for ‘Worthy’ features the painting The Darker the Berry, The Sweeter the Juice (2015, acrylic on canvas) by distinguished American artist Henry Taylor. Much like Staples, Taylor’s pieces are driven and defined by empathy, engaging the dynamic subtleties of his eclectically sourced subjects and their environments, historical and personal, each work a holistic visual narrative.