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Relish the distinctive sounds of St. Vincent and Joy Oladokun on AUSTIN CITY LIMITS – Sept. 14 at 10 pm
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“St. Vincent/Joy Oladokun”
Saturday, September 14 at 10:00 pm
Live music beacon Austin City Limits spotlights a pair of distinctive artists showcasing Grammy-winning St. Vincent and breakthrough singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun. St. Vincent makes her third appearance on the ACL stage in an electrifying performance, and shares the hour with a standout talent: Joy Oladokun, in a must-see ACL debut.
Dallas native Annie Clark, the musical shapeshifter known as St. Vincent, returns with selections from Daddy’s Home, her first new collection in four years, and a current Grammy nominee for Best Alternative Album. This ‘70s-inspired album references everything from Lou Reed to Joan Didion to Stevie Wonder, and has landed on many 2021 “year-end best-of” critics lists. “Our generation’s rock & roll chameleon, Annie Clark, delves into her formerly incarcerated father’s record collection to deliver Bowie- and Prince-esque tunes that are simultaneously utterly her own,” raves Rolling Stone of Daddy’s Home. Performing with an ace all-star band and a powerhouse trio of female backing singers, the indie vanguard delivers a revelatory six-song set, exposing the full spectrum of her sonic powers. “I would like to have a toast,” says St. Vincent, “to Austin City Limits and the third time being here, and more than anything, to all of us getting to be together again.”
Raised in a farming town in Arizona by Nigerian immigrant parents, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun melds a smooth R&B and pop sensibility into a deeply personal and affecting folk style. She showcases songs from her acclaimed in defense of my own happiness in a radiant ACL debut, opening with the sharp critique “I See America,” drawing from Nirvana’s iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to powerful effect. Wearing a Prince t-shirt and a backwards baseball cap, Oladokun captivates with her warm, conversational style, anchored by a rich voice and poignant lyrics, and explains the origins of many of her numbers. “This next song is what happens when you go to Thai food with an ex, and honestly that’s more of an introduction than she deserves,” she cracks before launching into the acoustic stunner “Heaven From Here.” Oladokun returns to her own life experience for “Jordan,” a personal reckoning that deals with growing up gay while being raised in the church. Oladokun dedicates a pair of songs to two of her musical heroes: she hails the late rapper Mac Miller “one of the greats in our lifetime” in her intro to “Taking the Heat,” then closes with a gorgeous song of redemption, Prince’s “The Cross,” from the late giant’s classic Sign O’ The Times.
“St. Vincent and Joy Oladokun are very different artists, so they might seem like an odd match for the same episode,” notes ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “They forge their own paths, but they are both deeply personal songwriters, and both uplifting and inspiring in the way they connect with their fans. If you’re a fan of one, you’ll soon be a fan of both.”