Mali Wilson ‘Spills the Honey’
Local, singer, producer, and advocate Mali Wilson is a change agent reinventing herself along the way. Oh, and she worked with Taylor Swift.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Native Chicagoan Mali Wilson and husband, Eric, share both Black and Jewish cultures, driving them to spread love and acceptance through their co-written music and a plethora of tikkun olam.
She explained, “My Christian faith remains central to who I am, and studying both the Torah and the Bible has deepened my love for G-d and people.”
Earning gravitas stripes in the production world alongside artists ranging from Carly Simon to Taylor Swift, Wilson has stepped into the spotlight with her own original songs and a new album. And she lives on a ranch in Metro Atlanta!
Wilson stated, “Chicago gave me my roots. Atlanta gave me room to grow.”
That’s how singer, producer, and advocate Wilson describes the cities that shaped her. Chicago introduced her to mentors and friendships — including the late Gene Siskel, who encouraged her to embrace Judaism, and Craig Snider, with whom she began her creative journey and reunited to write, “No More Silence.”
About Atlanta, she mused, “There’s a warmth here, a welcoming spirit, and a generosity that has made it home for nearly two decades.”
Through Earth Angel Worldwide, she brings both worlds together at StoneWood Ranch Estate, a creative campus in Gwinnett County where artists, students, and nonprofit partners gather for music, mentorship, and wellness programming.
For most of her career, Wilson worked behind the scenes. She explained, “Producing, artist development, and mentoring became my calling long before I ever imagined returning to my own artistry.”
Now, that’s changed with her debut album, “Retro in Real Time.”
“It isn’t simply my debut album; it’s a celebration of timeless music, craftsmanship, and the people who believed in me.”
Layering heritage, Mali’s mother is Jewish with Eastern European roots, and her father is Black with French ancestry. She credits their interracial marriage as a guidepost for her emphasis on acceptance. The maternal Jewish branch didn’t “accept” the racial blend, but her father’s family welcomed Mail’s mother. That lesson in grace stayed with her.
Community theater in Highland Park introduced her to Temple Beth El and enduring Jewish friendships. Husband, Eric, adds another Jewish thread: his mother converted to Judaism and has lived in Jerusalem for 30-plus years.
“We’ve celebrated Jewish holidays together, visited temple together, and found great joy in honoring both of our family traditions.” Wilson says that Eric once told her, “I’m kinda like Sammy Davis Jr.”
Wilson’s production credits include Chris Brown and Usher’s Grammy-nominated “New Flame.” She’s cultivated creative environments for Whitney Houston, Drake, and Lenny Kravitz, contributed to the making of Taylor Swift’s, “End Game,” and worked with Future and Ed Sheeran. She later managed Carly Simon through the completion of her memoir.
As for romance with Eric: “I never imagined I’d marry my banker. Initially, Eric misunderstood something I said after a business lunch and thought I was ‘interested.’ I wasn’t — at least, not then!”
Curiosity eventually won out. Now, the two write together regularly. “Before we write … we ask G-d to bless the work of our hands and guide every lyric.”
Their collaborations include much of “Retro in Real Time” and the “Spill the Honey” anthem, “No More Silence,” which carries deep personal history. Wilson met Sherry Frank, local American Jewish Committee activist, at The King Center, who introduced her to Dr. Shari Rogers, leading to Wilson scoring the documentary, “Shared Legacies.” Those conversations became “No More Silence,” written with Rogers, Eric, and Craig Snider.
She explained, “To me, ‘No More Silence’ is an invitation to listen more deeply, love more generously, and remember that lasting change often begins with a conversation. I don’t believe music changes the world by itself. I believe it changes people — and people change the world.”
Away from the stage, Wilson keeps things simple. “Cooking is much like making music … it’s all in the mix,” she says. At home, she practices yoga, walks around the ranch, and checks on the property’s honeybees. Looking back, she credits the people who made space for her. “I hope I’ve honored that gift by making room for others.”
“Retro in Real Time” is out now. “No More Silence,” released in partnership with EarthAngelWorldwide.org and SpillTheHoney.org, dropped July 17, “singing against antisemitism, racism, and sexism,” and in an attempt to bring Black and Jewish communities together.
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