The Songstress is the debut solo studio album by the American R&B/soul singer Anita Baker.

It was originally released in 1983 by Beverly Glen Music, and was Baker's only album for that label prior to signing with Elektra Records with whom she had a string of hit albums.

Notorious drug trafficker "Freeway" Rick Ross helped provide the money for the album.

[4] Baker became a major international success after signing with Elektra Records (a division of Warner Music Group) in 1986, and Elektra acquired the rights to The Songstress and re-released it with a new cover in 1991.

[6] Alex Henderson of AllMusic rated the album three and a half stars, praising her ballads and 'slow jams' (such as "No More Tears", "Angel", and "You're the Best Thing Yet"), calling them "honest [and] heartfelt", along with faster material such as "Squeeze Me" (which he referred to as "a sweaty taste of gospel-drenched funk.