Live music beacon Austin City Limits spotlights a pair of distinctive artists in a new hour showcasing Grammy-winning St. Vincent and breakthrough singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun. St. Vincent makes her third appearance on the ACL stage in an electrifying performance, and shares the hour with a standout talent: Joy Oladokun, in a must-see ACL debut. The new episode premieres January 15 @ 9pm ET/8pm CT on PBS as part of the series Season 47. Check local PBS listings for times. Despite the challenges facing live music during the past year, ACL is proud to deliver a full season of performances for viewers, all recorded at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas in 2021, in front of limited live audiences. The Peabody Award-winning program continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for a remarkable 47 years. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits following the initial broadcast.
Dallas native Annie Clark, the musical shapeshifter known as St. Vincent, returns with selections from Daddy’s Home, her first new collection in four years, and a current Grammy nominee for Best Alternative Album. This ‘70s-inspired album references everything from Lou Reed to Joan Didion to Stevie Wonder, and has landed on many 2021 “year-end best-of” critics lists. “Our generation’s rock & roll chameleon, Annie Clark, delves into her formerly incarcerated father’s record collection to deliver Bowie- and Prince-esque tunes that are simultaneously utterly her own,” raves Rolling Stone of Daddy’s Home. Performing with an ace all-star band and a powerhouse trio of female backing singers, the indie vanguard delivers a revelatory six-song set, exposing the full spectrum of her sonic powers. “I would like to have a toast,” says St. Vincent, “to Austin City Limits and the third time being here, and more than anything, to all of us getting to be together again.”
Raised in a farming town in Arizona by Nigerian immigrant parents, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun melds a smooth R&B and pop sensibility into a deeply personal and affecting folk style. She showcases songs from her acclaimed in defense of my own happiness in a radiant ACL debut, opening with the sharp critique “I See America,” drawing from Nirvana’s iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to powerful effect. Wearing a Prince t-shirt and a backwards baseball cap, Oladokun captivates with her warm, conversational style, anchored by a rich voice and poignant lyrics, and explains the origins of many of her numbers. “This next song is what happens when you go to Thai food with an ex, and honestly that’s more of an introduction than she deserves,” she cracks before launching into the acoustic stunner “Heaven From Here.” Oladokun returns to her own life experience for “Jordan,” a personal reckoning that deals with growing up gay while being raised in the church. Oladokun dedicates a pair of songs to two of her musical heroes: she hails the late rapper Mac Miller “one of the greats in our lifetime” in her intro to “Taking the Heat,” then closes with a gorgeous song of redemption, Prince’s “The Cross,” from the late giant’s classic Sign O’ The Times.
“St. Vincent and Joy Oladokun are very different artists, so they might seem like an odd match for the same episode,” notes ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “They forge their own paths, but they are both deeply personal songwriters, and both uplifting and inspiring in the way they connect with their fans. If you’re a fan of one, you’ll soon be a fan of both.”
St. Vincent setlist:
Down
Birth In Reverse
…At The Holiday Party
Los Ageless
Pay Your Way In Pain
The Melting Of The Sun
Joy Oladokun setlist:
I See America / Smells Like Teen Spirit
Heaven From There
Taking the Heat
Jordan
The Cross
Season 47 Broadcast Schedule (Second Half):
January 15 St. Vincent | Joy Oladokun
January 22 Duran Duran
January 29 Terry Allen
February 5 Olivia Rodrigo | Phoebe Bridgers
February 12 The Best of Nanci Griffith
ACL’s Season 47 premiered on October 2021 with standout performances featuring many 2022 Grammy nominees, including New Orleans musician/bandleader Jon Batiste, country superstar Miranda Lambert, bluegrass star Billy Strings, legendary Jackson Browne, R&B singer-songwriter Leon Bridges, country standout Brandy Clark and Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz alongside acclaimed performances from eclectic groove trio Khruangbin, celebrated singer Brittany Howard, UK singer-songwriter Jade Bird, “Gulf & Western” country sensation Charley Crockett and more.
Tune-in, log on, and let ACL be a trusted sidekick for entertainment during these challenging days. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter, IG and TikTok. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.