The first track on Valerie June’s 2025 album Owls, Omens, and Oracles is titled “Joy, Joy!” and there’s no better descriptor for the Tennessee-born singer and songwriter. Both on stage and on record, June’s most recent music bursts with effervescent jubilation, grounded with a strong, soulful reverence for the wonders of the world around her. Infectious optimism is central to June’s performances — her colourful costumes announce that attitude from the moment she steps on stage — but her catalogue also carries a complexity and vulnerability, casting beguiling shadows over her brighter compositions.

Weaving elements of blues, traditional Appalachian folk, country, bluegrass, and rock, June’s sound sits in a space that is both charmingly old-timey and refreshingly modern, as channeled through her guitar and banjo playing. June’s greatest gift is her distinctive voice: with a touch of Tennessee twang, her vocals range from dreamy highs to lower earthier tones, reflecting the waxing and waning of her songs. With lyrics ringing with wide-eyed, often spiritual poetry and a superstar-level stage presence, it’s no wonder that June has earned herself a Grammy nomination and the praise of none other than Bob Dylan. Outside accolades aside, June’s greatest achievement is the feeling she creates on stage, celebrating the human spirit and the wonderous privilege of being alive.

- Elizabeth Chorney-Booth