Posted by 
Gossip, a band that I watched open for Sleater-Kinney at Irving Plaza nearly a quarter century ago, are back with Real Power, their first new album in 12 years. I knew that singer Beth Ditto always had a huge personality, but I didn’t realize that she’d launched an acting career during Gossip’s hiatus. But Ditto apparently has an easy rapport with Seth Meyers, and she was on Late Night last night to perform with Gossip and to put on a different kind of performance in her interview with Meyers.
Apparently, that Sleater-Kinney show that I saw was on Gossip’s first-ever tour. During her interview with Seth Meyers, Beth Ditto told a story about how she planned to go back to Arkansas and study at beauty school after that tour, but Carrie Brownstein convinced her to move to Portland and start a music career instead. In a bit that seemed planned-out but maybe wasn’t, she also improvised a brand-new blues-rock howler with Meyers’ house band, many of whose members have probably also shared stages with Ditto over the years.
After the interview, Beth Ditto and Gossip performed the Real Power title track, and it was striking to see her channel all that personality in a really different way. Every once in a while, it’s nice to be reminded that someone can really sing. Watch the interview and the performance below.
Real Power is out now on Ultra.