Joy Oladokun
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Oladokun performing at the White House, 2022
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Olubukola Joy Oladokun[1] |
| Born | (1992-04-06) April 6, 1992 (age 32) Casa Grande, Arizona, US |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | joyoladokun |
Olubukola Joy Oladokun (born April 6, 1992[5]) is an American singer-songwriter. Oladokun's music spans the genres of folk, R&B, rock, and pop and is influenced by her identity as a queer woman of color. She has released four studio albums: Carry (2016), In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) (2020), In Defense of My Own Happiness (2021), and Proof of Life (2023).
Oladokun grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, listening to country and folk music, as well as Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill.[6][7] Both of her parents are Nigerian immigrants to the United States. Her family regularly attended a Christian church, where Oladokun was chosen to lead worship. Later, Oladokun left the church because it limited her creativity.[8]
When Oladokun was 10, a video of Tracy Chapman inspired her to learn guitar.[6]
After college, at a friend's suggestion, Oladokun moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She later moved to East Nashville, where she signed with Prescription Songs.[9]
In 2015, Joy Oladokun self-released her debut EP, Cathedrals.[3] Her debut studio album, Carry, was funded by Kickstarter and released on April 29, 2016, through Well Records.[3][10]
Oladokun released the single "Sunday" in 2019, saying "'Sunday' is the song that 12-year-old Joy, seated in the back of church youth group, needed to hear. She needed to hear that you can be queer and happy. Queer and healthy. Queer and holy. She needed to see married women kissing and playing with their kids."[11] The music video highlights people in LGBTQ relationships and has a predominantly queer cast.[12]
In 2020, during the Black Lives Matter movement Oladokun released "Who Do I Turn To?", a ballad co-written with Natalie Hemby.[13] Oladokun’s song "Mercy" follows in the same theme, describing her experience as a black person in the United States, while the single "I See America" criticizes systemic racism.[14][15] NPR listed "I See America" on its 100 Best Songs of 2020.[16]
On July 17, 2020, Oladokun released her second studio album, In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings), with White Boy Records.[10][17] Billboard described the album as a "stunningly emotional collection".[18] Mitch Mosk, editor-in-chief of Atwood Magazine, called it a "a sweeping, soaring, and stunning sophomore record oozing heart and soul."[19]
In 2021, Oladokun received a grant from YouTube's "#YouTubeBlack Voices Fund".[20] The same year she signed with Amigo Records, Verve Forecast Records, and Republic Records. On June 4, 2021, she released her third studio album, In Defense of My Own Happiness.
On February 17, 2023, Oladokun announced her fourth studio album, Proof of Life, along with the release of the first song off the album entitled "Changes". On March 16, 2023, Oladokun announced the next single off the album entitled "We're All Gonna Die", featuring Noah Kahan, and the lyric video of the song appeared on April 4. On April 20, Oladokun announced her tour for the album which she called "The Living Proof Tour", the tickets for which went on sale on April 25. The tour will start on September 10, and ends on October 5, 2023. On April 28, Oladokun released Proof of Life. The album features Mt. Joy (on the track "Friends"), Manchester Orchestra ("You At The Table"), Maxo Kream ("Revolution"), Chris Stapleton ("Sweet Symphony") and Noah Kahan ("We're All Gonna Die").
| Joy Oladokun discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 4 |
| Music videos | 9 |
| EPs | 2 |
| Singles | 33 |
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Sales [21] |
US Heat [22] |
UK Amer. [23] | ||
| Carry |
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– | – | – |
| In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings)[A] |
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– | – | – |
| In Defense of My Own Happiness |
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– | – | – |
| Proof of Life |
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96 | 19 | 25 |
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| In Defense of My Own Happiness (Complete) |
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| Proof of Life (Deluxe) |
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| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Cathedrals |
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| Spotify Singles |
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| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Rock Air. [24] |
US Rock Dig. [25] | |||
| "Shelter" | 2016 | – | – | Carry |
| "Memphis" | – | – | Non-album singles | |
| "No Turning Back" | 2017 | – | – | |
| "Sober" | 2018 | – | – | |
| "Blame" | 2019 | – | – | |
| "Sunday"[B] | – | – | In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) | |
| "Blink Twice" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "Too High" | 2020 | – | – | In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) |
| "Unwelcoming" | – | – | ||
| "Bad Blood" | – | – | ||
| "Breathe Again"[C] | – | – | ||
| "Who Do I Turn To?" | – | – | ||
| "Mercy" (featuring Tim Gent) |
– | – | ||
| "If You Got a Problem" | – | – | In Defense of My Own Happiness | |
| "I See America" | – | – | ||
| "Look Up" | – | – | ||
| "Mighty Die Young" | – | – | ||
| "My Girl" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "Wish You the Best" (featuring Jensen McRae) |
2021 | – | – | In Defense of My Own Happiness |
| "Jordan" | – | – | ||
| "Sorry Isn't Good Enough" | – | – | ||
| "Bigger Man" (with Maren Morris) |
– | – | ||
| "Who Are You" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "Jingle Bells" | – | – | ||
| "Keeping the Light On" | 2022 | – | – | Proof of Life |
| "Fortune Favors the Bold" (featuring Tim Gent) |
– | – | Non-album single | |
| "Purple Haze" | – | – | Proof of Life | |
| "Sweet Symphony" (with Chris Stapleton) |
– | 25 | ||
| "Be Careful" (with Madi Diaz and S.G. Goodman) |
– | – | Non-album singles | |
| "Power" (from the Al Sharpton documentary Loudmouth) |
– | – | ||
| "Changes" | 2023 | – | – | Proof of Life |
| "We're All Gonna Die" (featuring Noah Kahan) |
46 | – | ||
| "Taking Things For Granted" | – | – | ||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Adult [26] |
CAN AC [27] | |||
| "We Don't Know We're Living" (Lucie Silvas featuring Brandi Carlile and Joy Oladokun) |
2021 | ― | ― | Non-album single |
| "Someone Like You" (Noah Kahan featuring Joy Oladokun) |
27 | 50 | I Was/I Am | |
| "It's a Good Day (To Fight the System)" (Shungudzo featuring Joy Oladokun) |
2022 | ― | ― | TBA |
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Sober" | 2018 | David O'Donohue |
| "Blame" | 2019 | TBA |
| "Sunday" | Sami Lane | |
| "If You Got a Problem" | 2020 | Noah Tidmore |
| "Wish You the Best" (featuring Jensen McRae) |
2021 | |
| "Sorry Isn't Good Enough" | ||
| "Purple Haze" | 2022 | Unknown |
| "Sweet Symphony" (featuring Chris Stapleton) |
Mason Allen and Nicki Fletcher | |
| "Changes" | 2023 | Unknown |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Americana Music Award | Emerging Act of the Year | Herself | Nominated | [28] |
| 2022 | GLAAD Media Award | Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist | In Defense of My Own Happiness | Nominated | [29] |
| International |
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| Artists |
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