DEBUT ALBUM “SOME OF US ARE BRAVE”
DUE SEPTEMBER 16 VIA FUTURE CLASSIC
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“A singular talent on a meteoric rise”
“Ponder commands the stage.”
“Holy shit, Danielle Ponder just blew the doors
off of Luck Fest. Her debut album isn’t out yet but she has the kind of talent and power I rarely see. This is my new ‘tell everyone I know’ artist. Do yourself a favor and get on it. Seriously.”—Alex McLevy “Some Of Us Are Brave, Danielle Ponder’s
debut album, has the earmarks of a classic. Her commanding vocals may suggest greats like Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone, but the Rochester- based multi-instrumentalist is truly her own woman. Though ostensibly a soul singer, her arrangements blend elements of the blues, pop, R&B, hip-hop, funk and electronica into that classic style.” |
Today, rising singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder unveils a new single “Only The Lonely.” Of the song Ponder says, “so many of us stay in unfulfilling relationships because we are afraid, afraid to try again, afraid to fail again, but mostly we stay because we fear loneliness.” “Only The Lonely” is taken from Ponder’s debut album “Some Of Us Are Brave” set for release September 16 on Future Classic—listen to the single HERE and pre-order the album HERE.
“I read a book in law school, All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men: But Some of Us Are Brave,” says Ponder. “I first fell in love with the title, I immediately felt seen…Often when we talk about feminism, we forget the issues that uniquely impact Black women and the same when we speak about race. The book is a collection of Black women writers pushing against invisibility, speaking loud and clear and telling our unique story…The album is named that because that’s where I get my biggest inspirations. My biggest cheerleaders are my sisters, my mother, Black women. And I think bravery is what I’ve needed to become a full-time artist.”
“Only The Lonely” is the fourth song unveiled from Ponder’s forthcoming LP. It follows singles “The Only Way Out,” “Some Of Us Are Brave” and “So Long,” all released to critical acclaim. She made her television debut performing “So Long” on Late Night with Seth Meyers—watch/share HERE.
Additionally, Ponder will earn recognition among 30 new artists in YouTube’s Foundry Class of 2022, a global development program for independent music, supporting indie artists at all stages of their careers through annual artist development classes and ongoing release support campaigns. Foundry programs have supported 250 independent artists, with alumni including Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Dua Lipa, Clairo, ROSALÍA, girl in red, Kenny Beats and more.
Following her much lauded performances at SXSW and showcases in New York and Los Angeles, Ponder continues to tour. Upcoming shows include a string of dates with Marcus Mumford, see below for a list of performances.
In Ponder’s life, bravery manifested in the decision to leave her successful day job as a public defender to pursue singing and songwriting full time. Ponder had always been musical but chose to pursue a career in law after her brother received a 20-year sentence due to a “three strikes” law. But even as she became a tireless advocate for justice in her community—first as a public defender and later as a diversity, equity and inclusion officer in that same office—the music was never far; she remembers a time when she did a small tour in Europe and was back in court the following Monday. There eventually came a time to choose one, and so she leapt.
DANIELLE PONDER
1. Some Of Us Are Brave
2. So Long
3. Someone Like You
4. Only The Lonely
5. The Only Way Out
6. Thoughts
7. Fray
8. Darker Than Blue
DANIELLE PONDER LIVE
August 26—Sacred Rose Festival—Bridgeview, IL
August 30—Tennessee Theater—Knoxville, TN
September 1—Live On The Green—Nashville, TN
September 4—Nelsonville Music Festival—Nelsonville, OH
September 7—Kennedy Center—Washington, DC
September 9—Montclair Jazz Festival—Montclair, NJ
September 10—Montclair Jazz Festival—Montclair, NJ
September 19—Boulder Theater—Boulder, CO‡
September 20—Paramount Theater—Boulder, CO‡
September 21—Paramount Theater—Boulder, CO‡
September 26—Moore Theater—Seattle, WA‡
September 27—Keller Auditorium—Portland, OR‡
September 30—The Wiltern—Los Angeles, CA‡
October 1—The Fillmore—San Francisco, CA‡
October 2—Hardly Strictly Bluegrass—San Francisco, CA
October 5—The Magnolia—El Cajon, CA‡
October 6—Ikeda Theater—Mesa, AZ‡
October 9—Austin City Limits Music Festival—Austin, TX
October 10—White Oak Music Hall—Houston, TX‡
October 11—Majestic Theater—Dallas, TX‡
October 14—Orpheum Theater—New Orleans, LA‡
October 16—Austin City Limits—Austin, TX
October 28—Suwannee Hulaween—Live Oak, FL
‡ w/Marcus Mumford
† w/Amos Lee
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