J.S. Ondara

J.S. Ondara is a singer-songwriter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born and raised in Nairobi the capital of Kenya but moved to Minneapolis to pursue a career in music. When moving to the United States, Ondara chose Minnesota largely due to his adoration of native Bob Dylan. Other songwriters who have had great influence on him are Neil Young, Ray Lamontagne, Noah Gundersen, and Damien Rice. Ondara is currently finishing up his first project and currently on tour with Anderson East. J.S. Ondara is a singer-songwriter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born and raised in Nairobi the capital of Kenya but moved to Minneapolis to pursue a career in music. When moving to the United States, Ondara chose Minnesota largely due to his adoration of native Bob Dylan. Other songwriters who have had great influence on him are Neil Young, Ray Lamontagne, Noah Gundersen, and Damien Rice. Ondara is currently finishing up his first project and currently on tour with Anderson East. From a stockpile he says is hundreds of songs deep, Ondara chose 11 for Tales of America. They’re captivating tunes built around acoustic guitars and adorned with subtle full-band accompaniment for an openhearted folk-rock feel. He sings in a strong, tuneful voice well-suited to the gorgeous melancholy he expresses on the wistfully lovelorn “Torch Song,” or his steadfast infatuation on “Television Girl.” Ondara sings rueful lyrics in an anguished tone on “Saying Goodbye,” and leaves plenty of room for interpretation on “American Dream,” the first single. “I knew I wanted a song called 'American Dream' on the record, but I didn't have that song,” Ondara says with a laugh. “I couldn't find it. I wrote like twenty songs called 'American Dream' before I found the one that ended up being the record.” His persistence is evident throughout Tales of America, which is indeed a classic American tale. It’s the story, told in song, of an immigrant seeking a new life, who dedicates himself to achieving his vision through hard work and determination.

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