Joy Oladokun Releases New Video for KIND

Joy Oladokun has released a new music video for her song KIND. The visual accompanies the track and marks the latest addition to the singer-songwriter's output.

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer and performer Joy Oladokun shares the official music video for her new song, 'Kind,' today. Directed by Grammy-nominated artist, producer and filmmaker Jesse Boykins III, the video is a powerful depiction of connection and belonging.

'This song is about letting go of the things that might be holding you back,' shares Oladokun. 'That includes systems or ways of thinking. We wanted to tell the story of a Nigerian queer couple in this video as a way to showcase that. The criminalization of queer relationships is a product of homophobia inherited from colonizers. It is not reflective of the beauty of Nigeria's open-hearted culture.'

'Kind' is the latest song unveiled from Oladokun's highly anticipated new album, Hope Is A Heavy Thing, out September 25 via Concord Records. Produced by Oladokun with additional contributions from Nigerian producer Spellz, the new 12-track project marks a bold new chapter, expanding Oladokun's sound while continuing to prove her ability to not only bend genres but also to bridge cultures. Across the album, Oladokun explores identity, connection and self-discovery with the emotional honesty that has become a hallmark of her songwriting. In addition to 'Kind' and the previously shared track 'Zombie,' the album features a collaboration with Nigerian artist Adekunle Gold.

''To understand your future you have to confront your past.' This is the driving theme behind Hope Is A Heavy Thing,' shares Oladokun. '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. On this record you'll find music that nods the brilliance of the Soulquarians, the rawness of Bob Dylan, the rhythms of afrobeats, and the sampling prowess of J Dilla. Not to mention a callback to the Ronettes and a few songs that find inspiration in rock and roll protest music of the 60's and 70's. You'll also find me at the most authentic I've been able to be as an artist. It is a record I wrote for anyone who finds themselves wondering how to hope in these times. Sometimes it means looking back and digging through the muck to find what's worth fighting for again.'

This fall, Oladokun will embark on her extensive 'The Heavy Things Tour,' with newly confirmed stops at Austin's Scoot Inn, Los Angeles' The Bellwether, Seattle's Moore Theatre, Denver's Paramount Theatre, Chicago's The Vic Theatre, Washington D.C.'s Howard Theatre and Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, among many others.

Hope Is A Heavy Thing follows Oladokun's critically acclaimed albums in defense of my own happiness (2021), Proof of Life (2023) and Observations From A Crowded Room (2024), which led NPR Music to call Oladokun 'one of the great singer-songwriters pushing beyond roots or conventional singer-songwriter music today.' Additionally, The New York Times praised, 'her songs are conversational and confessional, and her hooky but profound melodies turn her lyrics into mantras,' while Consequence declared, 'One of the most refreshing voices coming out of Nashville…there's a deeply honest quality to her music that makes her hard to shake.'

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