New Releases category interest

A new version of Joy Oladokun’s “thrilling” (Rolling Stone) duet with Chris Stapleton, “Sweet Symphony (Living Proof Version),” is out today in celebration of the song’s one-year anniversary. Listen/share HERE.  

Reflecting on the song, Oladokun shares, “A year ago I released one of the most significant songs I have ever been a part of. I teamed up with Chris Stapleton to put out ‘Sweet Symphony’ as a way to celebrate love that outlasts the many tests life throws at us. Since then, people have danced to it at weddings and sung it to their children. They’ve played it for family members and friends as a way to put words to their love. I’m so proud of this song and honored that it’s become a part of people’s lives. To celebrate, we cooked up a new version that has the same heart as the original with a new spin.” 

The song is from Proof of Life (Deluxe), a new extended version of Oladokun’s acclaimed album, which will be released October 13 on Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records. Alongside the album’s thirteen original tracks, the deluxe edition will feature “Black Car,” “Wild Enough,” “Purple Haze” and “Spotlight” as well as new versions of album tracks “Sweet Symphony,” “Somehow” and “Keeping the Light On.” 

In celebration of the music, Oladokun is in the midst of her extensive “Living Proof” headline tour, which includes upcoming stops at New York’s Irving Plaza (sold out), Philadelphia’s Union Transfer, Boston’s Roadrunner, Dallas’ Kessler Theater, Austin’s Scoot Inn, Los Angeles’ The Belasco, Seattle’s The Showbox and San Francisco’s The Fillmore among many others. See below for complete tour itinerary. 

Receiving widespread notice, Oladokun’s episode of CMT’s “Campfire Sessions” debuted earlier this week, where she performed four songs from the album (watch HERE). Oladokun also performed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” earlier this year and spoke with The New York Times, who praises, “her songs are conversational and confessional, and her hooky but profound melodies turn her lyrics into mantras.” 

With production by Oladokun, Mike Elizondo, Ian Fitchuk, Dan Wilson and Alysa Vanderhym, Proof of Life captures the human experience with a profound simplicity and features collaborations with Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Manchester Orchestra, Mt. Joy and Maxo Kream. 

Critical acclaim for Proof of Life: 

“Nashville’s most low-key musical revolutionary…in this time of shifting priorities away from work toward self-care and connection with others, Oladokun is offering a master class in those subjects”—Rolling Stone

“Joy has every reason to sound cynical, to sound hardened, to sound sort of down beat, but instead, earnest was the first word that immediately came to mind.”—NPR Music

“one of the most appealing artists working in the music scene these days”—Associated Press

“the new record is so radio-friendly—and just so friendly, generally—that it wouldn’t feel like a stretch to see her doing tour dates with someone like a Taylor Swift”—Variety

“the star is Oladokun, whose coolly understated voice and vulnerable-yet-hopeful perspective is the common thread in the range of styles on the project”—Billboard

“Oladokun has created a safe space, for herself and others, to deal with the highs and lows that being true to yourself can bring.”—Grammy.com

“This is American music, distilled for this very moment”—Paste

“everyone’s favorite unlikely breakout pop star…it’s the latest and greatest combination of eras of pop nihilism – ‘90s indie pop Beck and Weezer vibes delivered with blithe, Beatles-esque musicianship.”—The Tennessean

“a throwback to a pre-internet era of big-tent pop-rock, with a tempered balance of self-doubt and affirmation delivered with a voice that can convey warm affability and stadium-filling uplift”—No Depression

“This album is holy water…it’s music for those of us who are growing, loving, aching, and wandering aimlessly (and sometimes hopefully) through a world on fire”—Autostraddle

“a voice of a generation…a spirited, sweetly stirring soundtrack to everyday living full of love”—Atwood Magazine

 

Proof of Life adds to a series of breakout years for Oladokun, a proud queer Black person and daughter of Nigerian immigrants. Her breakthrough major label debut, in defense of my own happiness, landed on numerous “Best of 2021” lists including at Billboard, Variety, American Songwriter, The Tennessean, Nashville Scene, The Bitter Southerner and NPR Music, who praised, “She has a remarkable ability to distill how forces at work in the world…she can make even social and political protest feel like an intimate, warmly human act.” 

Moreover, Oladokun performed at the White House as part of the Respect for Marriage Act signing ceremony and has also performed on “CBS Saturday Morning,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “TODAY,” PBS’ “Austin City Limits and NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk (Home) Concert” series. Oladokun’s music has also been included in Loudmouth, the recent Al Sharpton documentary, CBS’ “CSI: Vegas,” NBC’s “This Is Us,” ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC’s “Station 19,” NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and HBO’s “And Just Like That,” while her song, “i see america,” was also recently selected as a finalist for the Recording Academy’s new Special Merit Award, Best Song for Social Change. 

Widely respected by her peers, Oladokun has collaborated with artists such as Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Jason Isbell, Lucie Silvas and Noah Kahan and has joined Morris, Isbell, My Morning Jacket, Pink Sweat$, Leon Bridges and Manchester Orchestra on the road.

JOY OLADOKUN CONFIRMED TOUR DATES

September 30—Bridgeport, CT—Sound on Sound Music Festival

October 1—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer*

October 2—New York, NY—Irving Plaza* (SOLD OUT)

October 4—Boston, MA—Roadrunner*

October 5—Portland, ME—State Theatre*

November 4—Dallas, TX—The Kessler Theater^

November 5—Austin, TX—Scoot Inn^

November 7—Santa Fe, NM—Meow Wolf^

November 9—Solana Beach, CA—Belly Up^

November 10—Los Angeles, CA—The Belasco^

November 11—Healdsburg, CA—Little Saint^

November 14—Portland, OR—McMenamins Crystal Ballroom+

November 15—Seattle, WA—The Showbox+

November 16—Eugene, OR—WOW Hall+

November 18—Felton, CA—Felton Music Hall+

November 19—San Francisco, CA—The Fillmore+

*with special guest Jensen McRae

^with special guest NNAMDÏ

+with special guest Izzy Heltai