Martha Wash, the powerhouse voice behind anthems like “It’s Raining Men” and “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” is returning to Long Island for a rare solo performance at My Father’s Place in Roslyn on Friday, Aug. 22.
The two-time Grammy nominee is currently touring in support of her latest project, “Love & Conflict,” a bold sonic departure that leans into jazz, blues and adult contemporary — and she’s bringing that new sound to an intimate venue she hasn’t played in years.
“I haven’t played Long Island in so long,” Wash said in a recent interview. “So this show really means something to me. I’m looking forward to it — reconnecting with fans.”
Best known for her electrifying vocals that defined the dance floors of the ’80s and ’90s, Wash is embracing a more reflective, musically expansive direction with “Love & Conflict.” It’s a move made possible by her own creative freedom as an independent artist.
“Thankfully, I can record the kind of music that I want, because it’s on my own record label, Purple Rose Records,” Wash said. “I’ve always loved all kinds of music and this was my chance to stretch out and explore something different.”
That difference is heard loud and clear on “Love & Conflict,” a genre-blending album anchored by the powerful single “Never Enough Money.” Music reviewers have praised the track for its “gospel-rooted grit,” and called it a “righteous vocal performance” that indicts greed and excess with fiery soul.
The creative spark for the new album came through collaboration.
“A gentleman named Sammy had sent me some songs and I really liked them,” Wash explained. “We talked and I said, ‘Do you have more?’ By the time we finished, we had an EP — and it all came together sounding very jazz, blues, adult contemporary.”
Wash said the album’s title reflects the themes woven through the music.
“When you hear all the songs in their totality, it’s about love — degrees of love, stages of love and the conflict that sometimes comes with it,” she said.
For longtime fans, the Roslyn show will offer the best of both worlds: new material alongside the classics that made her a legend.
“There’ll be new music,” she said. “But I know what the fans want to hear too. You can’t do a Martha Wash show without a few surprises — and a few hits!”
Wash’s legacy spans decades. As half of the iconic duo The Weather Girls, she helped create the indelible “It’s Raining Men,” which sold more than six million copies globally. Her collaborations with C+C Music Factory and Black Box in the early ’90s produced international smashes and multiple Billboard No. 1s, including the arena staple “Strike It Up.”
But her journey has never been about sticking to one sound or scene. In 2013, she released Something Good, a critically praised return to her roots that highlighted rock and pop influences. “I’m Not Coming Down,” the album’s standout single, earned her yet another Billboard Dance Club Songs chart triumph.
Now, she’s bringing a more intimate, expressive side of herself to the stage.
“This new music is personal to me,” she said. “And I think audiences are ready for something different — especially here on Long Island. People are digging into more soulful music lately.”
Though Wash is not originally from Long Island — she hails from California — she considers it home now.
“I’ve been here for 40 years,” she said with a laugh. “So yes, I’d say I’m a Long Islander.”
Her return to the stage in Roslyn is part of a broader mission: reconnecting with fans, expanding her reach and celebrating her legacy on her terms.
“I want to reintroduce myself to Long Island,” Wash said. “And I think this is the right show, the right venue and the right time.”
Martha Wash performs Friday, Aug. 22, at My Father’s Place at The Roslyn Hotel, 1221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. For tickets and more info, visit myfathersplace.com.
