Breakout Artist Danielle Premieres 'So Long'

Breakout singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder is unveiling her new song, "So Long," via Future Classic-a powerful anthem about the struggle of finding one's voice, of resilience and renewal. The song was produced by Gianluca Buccellati, Mercury Prize winner, Grammy and Ivor Novello nominee for his work on Arlo Parks' Collapsed In Sunbeams. Listen/share here and learn more about Ponder here. Her debut album will be released this summer and live performances include appearances at SXSW; see below for a schedule.

In Ponder's life, bravery manifested in the decision to leave her successful day job as a public defender to pursue singing and songwriting full time. Ponder had always been musical but chose to pursue a career in law after her brother received a 20-year sentence due to a "three strikes" law. But even as she became a tireless advocate for justice in her community-first as a public defender and later as a diversity, equity and inclusion officer in that same office-the music was never far; she remembers a time when she did a small tour in Europe and was back in court the following Monday. There eventually came a time to choose one, and so she leapt.

The sixth of seven children, Ponder was born and raised in Rochester, New York by her father-a musically-inclined pastor-and mother. She gravitated toward the piano on their front porch at a young age and eventually discovered alternative rock and hip-hop artists like Pearl Jam, Alanis Morissette, Lauryn Hill and The Roots. It wasn't until she heard blues artists like Big Mama Thornton and Koko Taylor, though, that she knew singing was her true passion. Even as she became a tireless advocate for justice in her community, she found ways to keep music alive in her heart; in 2019, she gave a TEDx talk on what music can teach us about social justice.

FOLLOW DANIELLE PONDER

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Photo Credits: Hannah Betts

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