Following her signing to Concord Records earlier this year, Joy Oladokun has announced a new album, Hope Is a Heavy Thing, out September 25th. As the latest preview, she has revealed the new single, “Kind.” Stream it below.
Oladokun produced the 12-track Hope Is a Heavy Thing with additional contributions from Nigerian producer Spellz, expanding her sound while exploring themes of identity, connection, and self-discovery.
“‘To understand your future you have to confront your past.’ This is the driving theme behind Hope Is a Heavy Thing,” Oladokun shared in a statement about the follow-up to 2024’s OBSERVATIONS FROM A CROWDED ROOM. “It’s a collection of 12 songs that I wrote to help myself find my light again after burning out. Produced in Nashville, New York, and the back of a speeding tour bus, this album is sonically an homage to all of the music that inspires me.”
She continued by explaining the project nods to ’90s neo-soul and hip-hop collective The Soulquarians, Bob Dylan, Afrobeats rhythms, late producer J Dilla, The Ronettes, and protest music of the 1960s and 1970s. “It is a record I wrote for anyone who finds themselves wondering how to hope in these times,” Oladokun added. “Sometimes it means looking back and digging through the muck to find what’s worth fighting for again.”
Coming after January’s “Nothing Comes Easy,” new single “Kind” is about finally letting go of someone after giving them too many second chances: “You haven’t been as sweet as you used to be/ And burning bridges down isn’t new to me/ They say that if it hurts you should set it free/ If it don’t return then just let it be.”
Oladokun currently has only a handful of shows on her slate, including an August gig at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House and next April’s Moon Crush in Miramar Beach, Florida. Look for tickets at Vivid Seats, where new customers can use promo code CONSEQUENCE20 to receive $20 off their first Vivid Seats order of $200 or more. The Vivid Seats Rewards program also offers members a free ticket for every 10 tickets purchased.
Hope Is a Heavy Thing Artwork:
Hope Is a Heavy Thing Tracklist:
01. Raised by the Radio (A Reintroduction)
02. Dear Maria
03. Easy Company
04. Kind
05. TOGIAIM
06. Sage (feat. Adekunle Gold)
07. The End of the World
08. Zombie
09. Toothache
10. Don’t Call Me Baby!
11. Die Young
12. Time Is a River
Joy Oladokun 2026-2027 Tour Dates:
08/15 — Nashville, TN @ Grand Ole Opry House
08/28— Portland, OR @ Topaz Farm
10/05—Dallas, TX @ State Fair of Texas
04/23 — Miramar Beach, FL @ Seascape Resort
04/25 — Miramar Beach, FL @ Moon Crush
