Lalah Hathaway’s “Can’t Let Go” Sets the Mood for “Made In Chicago”

Lalah Hathaway sits beside shelves of records in a brown cap.

Lalah Hathaway’s “Can’t Let Go” gives her next album a personal point of entry. Released August 28, the single arrives alongside the announcement of “Made In Chicago,” a project that turns toward the city that raised her and the musical inheritance she has made her own.

The hometown connection is more than a location stamped onto a title. In its announcement, SoNo Recording Group describes a record reflecting on Hathaway’s past, present, and future, with Chicago and her father, Donny Hathaway, central to that story. It is an invitation to hear a familiar voice in the context of where it began.

The new single also puts Hathaway on both sides of the microphone. Its official credits name her and Phil Beaudreau as producers and songwriters. Beaudreau contributes trumpet, guitar, background vocals, and percussion as well, while the ensemble includes Justin Tyson on drums, Eric “Pikfunk” Smith on bass, Michael Aaberg on Rhodes piano, and MAE.SUN on tenor saxophone.

That combination points toward a band-centered conversation rather than a guest-star roll call. The keyboards, rhythm section, and brass give listeners individual performances to follow around Hathaway’s lead. Her involvement in writing and production makes this a creative statement as well as a new vocal performance.

There is already another piece of the Chicago story to explore: “47th Street,” featuring J. Ivy, appears among the recent releases on Hathaway’s Apple Music page. Together, the titles place home and memory near the front of this rollout, rather than treating them as background notes to a new record.

The full album is still ahead. Apple Music lists “Made In Chicago” as a nine-track pre-release for October 1, 2026. “Can’t Let Go” is available now; the album listing should not be mistaken for an already-released complete project.

Listen to the official audio below, then revisit PowerPage’s August 28 R&B playlist for more of the weekend’s releases. Hathaway’s addition gives grown-R&B listeners another reason to keep the new-music conversation open after Friday.

Listen: Lalah Hathaway — “Can’t Let Go” (official audio)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h99wBNGjbqU