Acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Joan Osborne is back with Nobody Owns You, out Sept. 8 on Womanly Hips Records and produced by Ben Rice (Valerie June, Norah Jones). You can hear her new songs live at The Hamilton Live on Sunday, Aug. 6.
While the Grammy-nominated singer’s highly praised 2020 release Trouble and Strife took a frank and honest look at our socio-political landscape, Nobody Owns You finds Osborne in a very personal place, contemplating life’s major questions. The introspective collection highlights Osborne’s songwriting prowess, and offers inspiration, optimism, and hope, surrounded by a rootsy and deeply soulful sound.
The first offering from the album is “Great American Cities,” a rebuttal of right-wing TV pundits disparaging America’s urban centers. Joan said, “I go to these cities all the time, and while they have issues like anywhere, they are full of life and energy and creativity and joy. This song came from my desire to celebrate America’s big cities and challenge the disinformation that’s being put out about them.”
Watch the official music video for “Great American Cities” by Joan Osborne on YouTube:
In 2022, Joan released a collection of unearthed live in-studio radio recordings titled Radio Waves. The 13-song album is a unique, hand-picked assortment of Osborne’s favorite and most captivating live appearances culled from 100+ radio station performances over her 25-year career.
Following the 2020 release of her critically acclaimed Trouble and Strife, Osborne canceled her touring plans and spent the lockdown like many others — visiting backburner projects and sorting through the contents of old, dusty shoeboxes.
“Most of my life’s work has disappeared without a trace,” Joan said. “I’ve made 10+ studio albums, but the vast majority of the songs I’ve sung hundreds and thousands of times over decades of touring across the globe, has never been recorded.”
What Osborne found buried deep within her closets are relics of those lost performances; time-capsule live recordings spotlighting the lightning-in-a-bottle dynamism that makes her a mesmerizing performer.
Maybe we will hear some of those gems live, delivered in Joan’s signature silky voice and soulful presence at The Hamilton Live.
Joan Osborne
The Hamilton Live
Sunday, Aug. 6
Doors @ 6:30pm
$35/$45/$65
All ages