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.
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.
PROOF OF LIFE (DELUXE) TRACK LIST
Disc 1
1. Keeping The Light On
2. Changes
3. Taking Things for Granted
4. Somebody Like Me
5. Friends feat. Mt. Joy
6. You At The Table feat. Manchester Orchestra
7. Sweet Symphony feat. Chris Stapleton
8. Trying
9. Pride
10. Revolution feat. Maxo Kream
11. The Hard Way
12. We’re All Gonna Die feat. Noah Kahan
13. Somehow
Disc 2
1. Purple Haze
2. Black Car
3. Somehow Intro (Living Proof Version)
4. Somehow (Living Proof Version)
5. Wild Enough
6. Spotlight
7. Keeping the Light On (Living Proof Version)
8. Sweet Symphony feat. Chris Stapleton (Living Proof Version)
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
