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New Orleans singer-songwriter Joy Clark is having her moment. Lots of them.

With a show at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and a new record deal, she’s on a roll.

On a January night along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, New Orleans singer-songwriter Joy Clark glimpsed her potential future.

During Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Clark performed as a member of Americana star Allison Russell’s band. As they unspooled a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” Russell beckoned for Clark to take a turn on lead vocals.

‘The world is wild’: Joy Clark’s success is a magical moment

Joy Clark’s smile takes over her face when she laughs. She’s smiling because she and numerous other Black creators in country and Americana music these days — finally, as an artist, feels seen and free. It’s a radical yet necessary evolution. The New Orleans-born artist is one of many singer-songwriters reviving the airy, guitar-driven pop music space Tracy Chapman birthed via her 1988 self-titled album. Clark’s performances of late hearken back to that age.

THE BLESSINGS OF JOY CLARK

We met at a Mid-City coffee shop that all good New Orleanians know. Joy Clark, dressed in her most casual (a white t-shirt, this time, instead of her usual black) chooses a spot outside in the corner, right under the big tree that greets every patron. After we say our greetings and thank Mother Earth for the first good day of weather in a while (which has since passed – I’m writing this up while it storms,) Joy catches me up on everything since we’ve last met.

AmericanaFest 2021: Best Things We Saw

After being forced to go virtual in 2020, AmericanaFest returned to in-person panels and performances this week in Nashville, with the caveat that attendees had to show proof of vaccination or a negative test before entering most clubs. Events stretched from last Tuesday into the weekend at venues including the Basement East and Cannery Ballroom, as well as outdoor spaces like Musician’s Corner at Centennial Park and the parking lot of the original Basement.

A Black Country Music Fan Didn’t Feel Safe at Concerts. So She Started a Movement

Black Opry was born as a simple way for founder Holly G to meet likeminded fans. It’s now a force of change in bringing racial equity to country music.

Holly G was trying to find a way to reconcile her love of country music with one disconcerting fact: She rarely saw anyone who looked like her at a country concert. It was always a sea of white faces and the unshakeable feeling that she wasn’t welcome.

New roots: Black musicians and advocates are forging coalitions outside the system

In late September, the annual Americana Music Conference and Festival returned to in-person programming in Nashville. A pared-down virtual version had served as a stopgap in 2020, but for many involved in the industry ecosystem of Americana and its rootsy country, indie folk and bluegrass tangents, this marked the long-awaited return of irreplaceable interaction, at and between showcases, panels and cocktail meet-ups at rooms big and small around town, many of which were sponsored by music companies.

Black artists have been sidelined in country music for decades. The Black Opry is here to change that.

‘The industry has survived so long by keeping us separated,’ says the founder of a tour that also functions as a resource for performers and fans. ‘Well, now we have community.’

Live music returns – Perfect Sound Whatever

Pride means being yourself all of the time according to Joy Clark, a New Orleans native and musician who performed at Faubourg Pride Fest hosted by Faubourg Brewing Company. Clark stood as one of many who came to Pride Fest to be in the company of others who are truly themselves.

Ode to Joy: A portrait of musician Joy Clark

One may think young artists in New Orleans begin their careers inspired by the City’s infatuation with music, yet for many Black artists, their melodic careers often begin within the Black Christian Church. Joy Clark is a perfect example of how musical inspiration can grow and flourish from within such churches.

Six LGBT Musicians in New Orleans You Should Know

New Orleans has produced many popular LGBT musicians over the years, including historical figures like piano legend Tony Jackson and R&B crooner James Booker (a.k.a. “The Black Liberace”), as well as contemporary artists like superstar Frank Ocean, Grammy-nominated folk singer Mary Gauthier, and the Queen of Bounce herself Big Freedia.

Songwriter Joy Clark adds some NOLA flair to Maryville showcase | Entertainment

For singer-songwriter Joy Clark, being nice has paid off. Oh, she doesn’t get along to get along. She’s a seasoned artist who can turn a phrase that cuts like a knife or tugs at the heartstrings, and she’s certainly not interested in churning out pablum for the sake of popularity.

Come with me River of Dream Weavers – Happy Hour – It’s New Orleans

You never forget your first. That’s why Joy Clark will remember this Happy Hour forever. It’s Joy’s first podcast. If you’ve never heard Joy play or sing, you are in for a treat – she’s the real deal.

Meet Joy Clark

Meet Joy Clark, Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist, Touring Artist, Black Opry Artist, and a member of Color Me Country’s Class of 2022! In December 2021, the Black Opry, which Joy Clark is a part of, played a show at the legendary Exit/In in Nashville, Tennessee with special guest Allison Russell. 

At Black Opry Revue, Joy and Grief Become Euphoria

Two nights ago, the country music world shifted. Like most tectonic movements, we may not see it for a while. But with the Black Opry‘s first-ever Revue at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall, Holly G has gathered a few of the rising stars in the country music firmament. 

WITH CLARK, JOY IS MORE THAN JUST A NAME

“I like to make people feel positive. I like to make people feel good.”

If you can’t get therapy, Joy Clark is the next best thing. An angel you’ll usually find dripped in black, Joy has been weaving peaceful compositions embodying all things good since the age of 12. 

Six More Black Country Artists to Keep on Your Radar

Joy Clark started off strong in 2022 like other artists featured on this list: being recognized by Rissi Palmer for her Color Me Country Class of 2022. Clark is known for her “honeyed vocals” and “melodious sound;” her songwriting is also worth noting as she pens a majority of her songs alone.

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