For Skinny Hightower, music has never been simply about playing notes. His career as a pianist and composer has been shaped by an ongoing curiosity about different musical styles, influences and traditions, something that has become an important part of his identity as an instrumental artist.
Now, Hightower enters a new chapter with “Feels Like Destiny”, his latest album and one of his most personal projects to date.
The album follows an impressive sequence of releases that has established him as a recognizable name within contemporary Smooth Jazz. His recording career began with Cloud Nine in 2016, followed by Emotions in 2017. He subsequently released Retrospect in 2018, Blue Moon in 2020, Mind Over Matter in 2023 and The Man in 2024.
In 2025, Hightower joined forces with Alex Parchment for the Kindred EP. His latest project, Feels Like Destiny, continues that creative evolution while revealing a much more personal side of the artist.
An album built through persistence
The story behind Feels Like Destiny goes far beyond the recording studio.
Hightower describes the making of the album as an intense period that demanded an extraordinary level of discipline. Ideas could arrive at any hour, sometimes forcing him out of bed in the middle of the night to develop a musical phrase or repeatedly work on a particular passage.
Early mornings, extended working days and sleepless nights became part of the process.
The physical demands were significant as well. Hightower says that he even lost around 20 pounds during the recording period, while having to condition both his body and his mind to cope with the demands of completing the project.
That detail offers an unusual glimpse into what can happen behind the polished sound of a finished Smooth Jazz album.
From frustration to creative breakthrough
According to Hightower, the journey was far from straightforward.
There were moments of progress and moments of frustration, breakthroughs alongside setbacks and the inevitable personal challenges that accompany a demanding creative project.
Rather than hiding those difficulties, the pianist has embraced them as part of the story behind the album.
He describes the experience as a kind of “beautiful” pain — the difficult process of creating something that eventually takes on a life of its own.
That perspective is particularly interesting for listeners because instrumental music can sometimes conceal just how much work lies behind a seemingly effortless performance.
A new chapter in Hightower’s career
Looking at Hightower’s discography, Feels Like Destiny arrives after a decade of steady development.
From Cloud Nine to The Man, his albums have reflected different stages of his musical journey. His collaboration with Alex Parchment on Kindred also demonstrated his willingness to explore collaborative formats beyond his solo work.
The new album continues that progression while placing greater emphasis on the personal experience behind the music.
As someone who follows and programs contemporary Smooth Jazz, I find this aspect of Hightower’s work particularly compelling. The genre has evolved considerably, and artists such as Hightower demonstrate how piano-driven instrumental music can remain melodic and accessible while still carrying a strong personal narrative.
Music born from determination
Feels Like Destiny ultimately represents more than another entry in Skinny Hightower’s catalogue.
It is the result of months of persistence, experimentation and sacrifice. The artist himself makes clear that completing the project required a level of commitment that affected both his professional routine and his personal life.
That makes the album’s title particularly appropriate.
What began as countless hours of work, unfinished ideas, sleepless nights and repeated attempts eventually became a completed musical statement.
For listeners discovering Skinny Hightower’s “Feels Like Destiny”, the music can therefore be heard on two levels: as a new Smooth Jazz release and as the culmination of an intensely personal creative journey.
And perhaps that is the real meaning behind the title — sometimes destiny is not something that simply happens. Sometimes it is something an artist spends countless hours creating.
