Before sold-out Tampa concert, Allison Russell talks oppression, forgiveness and more

On her current tour, Allison Russell regularly joins Hozier to sing “Work Song,” an anthemic ballad about people holding each other up. The performances are happening in front some of the biggest crowds the 44-year-old has ever played in front of, and they come just months after her earth-shattering single “Eve Was Black” beat out Jon Batiste, Rhiannon Giddens and others to win the 2024 Grammy for “Best American Roots Performance.” Still, there’s at least one collaboration that eludes the Montreal-born, Nashville-residing, songwriter and activist.