2021 will forever be known as the year the world woke up to Joy Oladokun and fell head-over-heels in love with her remarkable ability to write songs that are as relatable as they are revelatory. It began in January, when her somber ballad “Breathe Again” played during an episode of the popular NBC drama This Is Us; appearances on Today and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and at NPR’s Tiny Desk followed. Oladokun made national headlines with “Bigger Man,” a duet with Maren Morris, and she released the complete 24-track edition of her album In Defense of My Own Happiness, with its songs earning millions of streams on Spotify and other services. Plus she’s been touring across the country, appearing at the Newport Folk Festival and Lollapalooza, opening for Jason Isbell and more. Her take on contemporary folk is rooted in her experiences as a queer Black woman living in a society that’s still deeply rooted in white supremacy, but even when she’s calling out the bullshit, as in “I See America,” she does so with empathy and understanding.
Best Breakout
Joy Oladokun
Joy Oladokun at 3rd and Lindsley, 6/20/2021
