Anita Baker Announces Tour to Celebrate 40 Years of 'The Songstress'

Anita Baker Announces First Full Tour Since 1995 to Celebrate 40th Anniversary of 'The Songstress'

"Looking forward to some crazy, lovely, hang time with my fans. Gonna bring some new music & special guests, too," the "Caught Up in the Rapture" performer reportedly wrote in a press release

Jack Irvin

Published on November 10, 2022 04:20PM EST

Singer Anita Baker onstage during 2019 Urban One Honors at MGM National Harbor on December 05, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. — Anita Baker. Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty

Some dreams come true — Anita Baker is returning to the road!

On Thursday, the eight-time Grammy winner announced she'll be embarking on a concert tour of North American arena venues next year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her debut album, The Songstress.

"2023 Coming Straight to YOU [...] This time...With *My Own* catalog," wrote Baker, 64, on Twitter alongside the tour announcement — which arrives just over two months after she finally gained control of her master recordings following a period of time when she did not have ownership of them.

The R&B icon won't be alone on the road, as she said in a press release, per Rolling Stone, "Looking forward to some crazy, lovely, hang time with my fans. Gonna bring some new music & special guests, too."

Kicking off Feb. 11, 2023 at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, the tour will see Baker perform a total of 15 shows in cities including Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas and Los Angeles before wrapping the leg at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California on Dec. 23 — just in time for her to hopefully perform tracks from her 2005 album Christmas Fantasy.

Tickets for the tour go on sale starting Thursday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. local time, and more information can be found at Baker's Ticketmaster page.

Originally released in 1983, The Songstress launched Baker's career and spawned four singles — "Angel," "You're the Best Thing Yet," "No More Tears" and "Feel the Need" — and reached widespread success once it was reissued via Elektra Records in 1991.

Anita Baker attends Tyler Perry Studios grand opening gala at Tyler Perry Studios on October 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. — Anita Baker. Paras Griffin/Getty

Earlier this year, Baker documented how she was attempting to take back control of her music, as she asked fans to not stream or purchase her songs until she could do so.

"Miraculously... i have out-lived *ALL, of my Artists Contracts They no longer 'Own,' My Name & Likeness. And, by Law...30 yr old, Mstrs are 2B Returned, 2 Me Unfortunately, They're gonna make me Fight 4 it. I'm Prepared, 2 do that. Please Dont advertise/buy them," she wrote in a March tweet.

Weeks later, Baker then discussed her predicament once more in a tweet, where she referenced Taylor Swift's own battle to gain control of her masters. "Her creations bought & sold Again & Again, wouldnt even let her do *A Buy Out*...Taylor Swift *re-recording, her Catalog/Taylor's Version. The GoodFight Go... Gurrrrl," she tweeted at the time.

Taylor Swift Cheers on Anita Baker After She Gains Control of Her Masters: 'What a Beautiful Moment' — Taylor Swift and Anita Baker. Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Larry Busacca/WireImage

On Sept. 5, Baker announced she'd regained control of her masters by tweeting a photograph of some of her various albums released over the years alongside the text, "All My Children Are Coming Home [...] Impossible Things Happen ... Every. Single. Day. Gratefully."

The following day, Swift, 31, quote-tweeted the "Sweet Love" singer's post, writing, "What a beautiful moment, CONGRATULATIONS ANITA!!"

The upcoming anniversary concerts will mark Baker's first full tour since 1995, as she's only played one-off shows, residencies and a small series of farewell concerts in the interim.