Kara Jackson Releases 'Right, Wrong or Ready' Ahead of U.S. Tour

The Poet Laureate, singer-songwriter, and most exciting new artist of 2023, Kara Jackson is thrilled to share her newest recording, a cover of Karen Dalton’s “Right, Wrong or Ready.”

It’s the first piece of music we’ve gotten following the singer’s critically acclaimed debut album, 2023’a Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?. About the song Kara reflected, “‘Right, Wrong or Ready’ is one of my favorite songs that has become a mainstay in my live sets. I love the song because it’s not quite a love song, but more so a statement of the kind of limbo love can become when a person has been on your mind for way too long. A love song for the lonely.”

Although a cover, the keen-eared Kara Jackson fan would recognize the track as one of her own, as she has opened with the song for almost every single one of her live shows to date. You can catch Kara on tour this spring - purchase tickets HERE. Full dates are below!

Wielding her voice like a honey-coated blade, Kara Jackson crafts a blend of emotional folk music and poetic alt-country. With the radical honesty of Nina Simone, the intricate lyricism of Fiona Apple and Joanna Newsom, and the straightforward, no-frills delivery of artists like Kimya Dawson, Kara’s writing blurs the line between poetry and song, demanding an attentive ear and a repeat listen.

Raised by country folk and Black feminist poets like Gwendolyn Brooks and Lucille Clifton, Kara’s songs have the softness and warmth of a southern drawl, while still being sharp enough to cut deep. Born and raised in Oak Park, IL, a community 10 miles west of Chicago, Kara studied music and writing from a very young age. A Black Queer polymath, she took piano lessons from the age of 5 and later taught herself to play guitar. She honed her poetry skills in high school, eventually becoming the National Youth Poet Laureate in 2019. That same year, Kara self-released her debut EP, A Song for Every Chamber of the Heart, a tender offering of acoustic meditations on love and desire. Since then she has toured the country in support of artists such as Julia Jacklin, Neko Case, Ibeyi, and Angel Olsen.

FULL 2024 TOUR DATES:

4/24 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music SOLD OUT

5/04 - Seattle, WA - Belltown Bloom

5/05 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios

5/07 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord

5/08 - Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge SOLD OUT

5/10 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Block Party

5/12 - Washington DC - Songbyrd

5/16 - Brooklyn, NY - Public Records SOLD OUT

5/16 - Brooklyn, NY - Public Records SOLD OUT

5/17 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s

5/20 - Nashville, TN - Soho House Nashville (Do Not Announce Venue Details)

5/21 - Atlanta, GA - Purgatory at The Masquerade

6/12 - Bergen, NO - Bergenfest 2024

6/12 - Barcelona, ES - Centre Artesa Tradicionarius

6/15 - Braga, Portugal - GNRation

6/16 - Lisboa, Portugal - ZDB @ Capitólio

6/19 - London, UK - EartH

6/24 - Glasgow, UK - Mackintosh Queen’s Cross

6/26 - Bristol, UK - Bristol Beacon, Lantern Hall

6/29 - Roskilde, DK - Roskilde Festival 2024

7/20 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival