J.S. Ondara | photo by Josh Cheuse | courtesy of the artist

After he released his debut album Tales of America earlier this year, there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding J.S. Ondara, XPN’s February Artist to Watch. Sold-out audiences are now to be expected for the folk singer-songwriter, but Ondara shuts out any outside noise in his intimate new video for “Television Girl.” Shot in black-and-white, the minimalistic video captures Ondara with just an acoustic guitar, his captivating voice echoing throughout the room. It’s easy to see why Ondara, who immigrated to Minneapolis from Kenya just a few years ago, cites Bob Dylan and the American folk tradition as influences — and why everyone is calling him an artist you need to know.

J.S. Ondara will join us on the Camden Waterfront on July 27 for day two of the XPoNential Music Festival. Find more information at XPNFest.org.

Tour Dates

May 17—Baltimore, MD—The 8×10
May 18—Northampton, MA—Iron Horse
May 20—Pittsburgh, PA—Club Café
May 21—Cleveland, OH—House of Blues Cleveland
May 22—Cincinnati, OH—MOTR
May 25—Richmond, VA—Richmond Music Hall
May 29—Columbus, OH—The Basement
May 30—Nashville, TN—The Basement
May 31—Charlotte, NC—The Evening Muse
June 1—Canton, NC—Lake Logan Conference Center
June 4—Atlanta, GA—The Earl
June 5—Birmingham, AL—The Saturn
June 7—Austin, TX—Antone’s Nightclub
June 8—Dallas, TX—Sons of Hermann Hall
June 10—St. Louis, MO—Old Rock House
June 11—Des Moines, IA—Vaudeville Mews
June 12—Madison, WI—High Noon Saloon
July 27—Philadelphia, PA—Xponential Music Festival
July 28—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival
October 10—Portland, OR—Aladdin Theater
October 11—Vancouver, BC—Hollywood Theater
October 13—Seattle, WA—Neumos
October 17—San Francisco, CA—The Independent
October 19—Los Angeles, CA—Troubadour
October 21—Denver, CO—Bluebird Theater
October 23—Los Angeles, CA—Troubadour
October 24—Chicago, IL—Lincoln Hall
October 26—Toronto, ON—Mod Club Theater
October 30—Washington, DC—6th & I
November 1—Boston, MA—Sinclair
November 2—Brooklyn, NY—Music Hall of Williamsburg
December 7—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue