Rhiannon Giddens spoke with NPR's Morning Edition about the area in and around the town of Swannanoa, in her home state of North Carolina, as it recovers from the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene. She also talks about an earlier tragedy in the region—a 19th-century train tunnel collapse—that inspired the old work song "Swannanoa Tunnel," which she recorded with Silkroad Ensemble. "Why were we given the ability to sing and touch people?" Giddens asks. "And this is why: when you think about the destruction, there are no words, so a song can tap into something that then releases energy—now I can cry. That's what it's for, helping us all with the emotions that are bigger than we know what to do with."

Portuguese fado singer Carminho's new EP Carminho at Electrical Audio, out now, was recorded in collaboration with the late Steve Albini at his iconic Electrical Audio studio in Chicago in October 2023. “Anyone who worked with Steve Albini knows of his humble authenticity and dedication towards perfecting raw sound," Carminho says. "He made the recordings sound as if we were performing in a fado house in Lisbon." A music video for “Deixei a minha casa” featuring Albini and Carminho together in the studio can be seen here. Carminho tours the US in November.