(September 17, 2025) When Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon-Dantzler, the husband-and-wife duo who form the neo-soul band Kindred the Family Soul, sing about the joys, pains, triumphs and struggles of married life, they carry receipts to prove they know what they’re talking about. The couple have been married for nearly 27 years, so they were relative newlyweds when Surrender to Love, their debut album on Hidden Beach Records dropped in 2003.
The Dantzlers were like all young couples with growing families. They were trying to figure out the balancing act between careers, raising the children and finding time for each other. The song “Far Away,” the lead single from that album, stands as a musical encapsulation of the joy a couple feels when the stars align – daycare is secured for the weekend, the money is right, the hotel room is reserved and there are no transportation “issues.”
I’ve been a fan of their music since then. I’ve also been rooting for them because I realize they work in an industry that crushes love. They’ve overcome, and will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary on Sept. 19. They’re also grandparents. Fatin and Aja Graydon-Dantzler are an inspiration, and they make great music.
Fatin says about their upcoming album, GRANDLIFE, due October 3, “We’re so grateful for the chance to keep creating music that speaks to love and life. This album is truly the most intentional work we’ve ever done, and we give all glory to God for the inspiration.”
Now, just in time for their sweetly ironic Mahogany Anniversary, Kindred the Family Soul gift us with a new single. The song, “For Life,” will be included on GRANDLIFE. “For Life” finds Kindred doing what they do best – soulfully expressing the sentiments that all couples that are singularly committed to each other feel in the marrow of their bones.
“We went into the studio with no expectations and just wanted to see what we would make. It poured out quickly like it was waiting to be made,” Aja says of the album. Check out the World Premiere “For Life,” the new song from Kindred the Family Soul here.
By Howard Dukes
