October 20, 2021—Breakthrough singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun‘s debut Spotify Singles session is out today. Listen/share HERE. Recorded at Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, the release includes a new rendition of Oladokun’s “sunday” as well as a version of Bonnie Raitt’s classic “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with special guest Jason Isbell on guitar.
Reflecting on the project, Oladokun shares, “I’ve been a rabid consumer of Spotify Singles since their inception. Being asked to do one was a dream come true and I wanted to bring in the best crew. I asked Jason Isbell to play guitar on the Bonnie Raitt cover and he absolutely smashed the energy and emotion of what I was trying to do. So excited to have these out in the world.”
The release adds to a landmark year for Oladokun, whose major label debut album, in defense of my own happiness, is out now via Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records. Moreover, Oladokun released a special deluxe edition, in defense of my own happiness (complete), this past July, which includes all 14 tracks from her major label debut, ten additional songs from her self-released 2020 record, in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings), and one new track, “judas.”
In celebration of the new music, Oladokun will embark on her first ever headline tour next spring with newly confirmed shows at Austin’s Antone’s, Dallas’ Club Dada, Los Angeles’ Troubadour, San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, Seattle’s Neumos, Denver’s Marquis Theater, Minneapolis’ Fine Line, Chicago’s Lincoln Hall, New York’s Bowery Ballroom, Washington, DC’s Union Stage, Atlanta’s Terminal West and Nashville’s The Basement East among several others. See below for complete itinerary. Tickets for the tour are on-sale now, full details can be found at www.joyoladokun.com/tour.
With in defense of my own happiness, Oladokun is forging her own path, sharing the unique perspective she’s gained from living in today’s world as a black, queer woman and first-generation child of Nigerian immigrants. Born in Arizona and now living in Nashville, her musical exploration began at age ten when she was inspired to learn guitar after seeing a video of Tracy Chapman—the first time she’d ever seen a black woman play the instrument.
Oladokun has continued to receive widespread attention in the past year. She was recently featured as part of NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk (Home) Concert” series, performed on “CBS Saturday Morning,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “TODAY” and will make her debut on PBS’ “Austin City Limits” early next year as part of the legendary program’s 47th season. She has also been named a member of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021, a NPR Music/Slingshot’s 2021 Artists to Watch, a Billboard LGBTQ Artist of the Month, Spotify’s RADAR US: Artists to Watch 2021 and Amazon Music’s Artists to Watch 2021, was highlighted as part of HULU’s “Your Attention Please: The Concert” alongside 24kGoldn, Kiana Ledé, Lil Yachty and Swae Lee, and had her music featured on CBS’ “CSI: Vegas,” NBC’s “This Is Us,” ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC’s “Station 19” and NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Moreover, Oladokun recently collaborated with Brandi Carlile and Lucie Silvas on new song “We Don’t Know We’re Living” as well as with Noah Kahan on his track, “Someone Like You.”
IN DEFENSE OF MY OWN HAPPINESS (COMPLETE) TRACK LIST
1. jordan
2. smoke
3. if you got a problem
4. i see america
5. heaven from here (feat. Penny & Sparrow)
6. younger days
7. sunday
8. bad blood
9. lost
10. who do i turn to?
11. sorry isn’t good enough
12. taking the heat
13. someone that i used to be
14. brick by brick
15. unwelcoming
16. Bigger Man (feat. Maren Morris)
17. mercy (feat. Tim Gent)
18. let it be me
19. judas
20. mighty die young
21. breathe again
22. too high
23. look up
24. wish you the best (feat. Jensen McRae)
JOY OLADOKUN CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
October 23—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
October 24—Atlanta, GA—Shaky Knees Music Festival
October 28—Grand Rapids, MI—CFAC Auditorium at Calvin University
November 5—San Diego, CA—House of Blues+
November 6—Los Angeles, CA—The Novo+
November 7—San Francisco, CA—The Regency Ballroom+
November 9—Portland, OR—Roseland Theater+
November 10—Vancouver, Canada—Commodore Ballroom+
November 11—Seattle, WA—The Showbox+
April 7—Austin, TX—Antone’s Nightclub#
April 8—Dallas, TX—Club Dada#
April 10—Phoenix, AZ—The Crescent Ballroom#
April 11—Los Angeles, CA—Troubadour#
April 13—San Francisco, CA—Great American Music Hall#
April 15—Portland, OR—Doug Fir Lounge#
April 16—Seattle, WA—Neumos#
April 19—Salt Lake City, UT—Soundwell#
April 20—Denver, CO—Marquis Theater#
April 22—Kansas City, MO—recordBar#
April 23—Davenport, IA—The Raccoon Motel#
April 24—Minneapolis, MN—Fine Line#
April 26—Madison, WI—Majestic Theatre#
April 27—Chicago, IL—Lincoln Hall#
April 29—Toronto, ON—Horseshow Tavern#
May 1—Cambridge, MA—The Sinclair#
May 2—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom#
May 5—Holyoke, MA—Gateway City Arts#
May 6—Ardmore, PA—Ardmore Music Hall#
May 7—Pittsburgh, PA—Thunderbird Music Hall#
May 9—Washington, DC—Union Stage#
May 10—Durham, NC—Motorco Music Hall#
May 11—Asheville, NC—The Grey Eagle#
May 13—Atlanta, GA—Terminal West#
May 14—Nashville, TN—The Basement East#
*with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
+with Pink Sweat$
#with special guest Bre Kennedy