New York, NY (Top40 Charts) J.S. Ondara has confirmed new tour dates supporting The
Lumineers next year. The shows kick off in Asheville, NC on January 31, 2020 and include four Canadian dates in March. The 2020 dates follow a massive year of touring for Ondara including sold-out European performances, a completely sold-out headlining U.S. tour, and standout performances at Xponential Festival, Newport Folk Festival and Edmonton Folk Festival, among others.
Ondara continues to celebrate the release of Tales of
America (Verve Forecast/Universal Music), which was recently nominated for Best Americana Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
The nomination culminates a breakout year for the singer-songwriter. His completely acoustic debut album, produced by Grammy-nominated Mike Viola, was released in February to widespread critical acclaim. Ondara made his television debut on CBS This Morning: Saturday performing "Saying Goodbye", "Torch Song" and "Lebanon" accompanied by Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith from
Dawes (who are also featured on the album). He also performed on the Today Show, Live from Here with Chris Thile, appeared on NPR's All Things Considered and World Cafe. Ondara was featured as a Rolling Stone "Artist You Need To Know" and "Saying Goodbye" was featured in NPR Music's "Heavy Rotation: Public Radio's Most Popular Songs Of 2019". Additionally, Ondara earned a nomination for Best Emerging Act at the 2019 Americana Awards.
J.S. Ondara grew up in Nairobi,
Kenya listening to American alt-rock and making up his own songs for as long as he can remember. At an early age he fell in love with the music of
Bob Dylan and moved to Minneapolis in 2013 to pursue a career as a singer and songwriter. He began making his way in the local music scene, continually writing songs about what he saw, felt and experienced in a place far different from home. Since then, he has toured as a headliner nationwide as well as opening for the likes of Neil Young, Lindsey Buckingham, Anderson East, First Aid Kit, The Milk Carton Kids, Mt. Joy and The Head & The Heart.
Critical praise for Tales of America:
NPR music - "singing songs about
America through his unique perspective and stunning voice"
Rolling Stone - "…a clear-eyed acoustic newcomer's tale of American promise and calamity that
establishes him as an invigorating new voice in American folk music."
American Songwriter - "It's that sense of searching combined with Ondara's spellbinding and, well, haunting voice that makes this an early contender for one of the finest and most moving Americana albums of the year."
Billboard - "Ondara owns a striking singing voice, which ranges from a velvety croon to an immaculate upper-register. Really, you've just got to hear it yourself."
