| In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 17, 2020 | |||
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| Length | 32:24 | |||
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| Joy Oladokun chronology | ||||
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| Singles from In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) | ||||
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In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) (stylized in all lowercase and originally titled In Defense of My Own Happiness (Vol. 1)) is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun. The ten-track album was released on July 17, 2020 through White Boy Records and re-released by Amigo Records and Verve Forecast Records under its current title on March 30, 2021.[3] It was promoted by eight singles. A sequel to the album, titled simply In Defense of My Own Happiness was released on June 4, 2021 and included "Sunday" and "Breathe Again" from volume one. A "complete edition" was released on July 9, 2021 collecting both volumes.
Critical reception
Susan Hansen, writing for The Line of Best Fit, gave the album a score of eight out of ten, saying "Showing the way into new genre-blending territory, Joy Oladokun’s fertile, present day mix of pop, R&B and folk constitutes irresistibility and pertinence." and compared her "guitar lines, vocals and contemplative lyrics" to Tracy Chapman.[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smoke" |
| Jeremy Lutito | 2:51 |
| 2. | "Sunday" | Oladokun | Robopop | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Bad Blood" | Oladokun | 3:08 | |
| 4. | "Unwelcoming" |
| Oladokun | 2:20 |
| 5. | "Lost" | Oladokun | Oladokun | 3:25 |
| 6. | "Who Do I Turn To?" |
| Oladokun | 3:10 |
| 7. | "Mercy" (featuring Tim Gent) |
| Oladokun | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Breathe Again" |
| Peter Groenwald | 3:49 |
| 9. | "Too High" | Oladokun | Oladokun | 3:16 |
| 10. | "Younger Days" | Oladokun |
| 3:34 |
| Total length: | 32:24 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smoke" (commentary) | 1:38 | ||
| 2. | "Smoke" |
| Lutito | 2:51 |
| 3. | "Sunday" (commentary) | 1:05 | ||
| 4. | "Sunday" | Oladokun | Robopop | 3:14 |
| 5. | "Bad Blood" (commentary) | 0:56 | ||
| 6. | "Bad Blood" | Oladokun | 3:08 | |
| 7. | "Unwelcoming" (commentary) | 1:16 | ||
| 8. | "Unwelcoming" |
| Oladokun | 2:20 |
| 9. | "Lost" (commentary) | 1:21 | ||
| 10. | "Lost" | Oladokun | Oladokun | 3:25 |
| 11. | "Who Do I Turn To?" (commentary) | 1:42 | ||
| 12. | "Who Do I Turn To?" |
| Oladokun | 3:10 |
| 13. | "Mercy" (commentary) | 1:25 | ||
| 14. | "Mercy" (featuring Tim Gent) |
| Oladokun | 3:37 |
| 15. | "Breathe Again" (commentary) | 1:15 | ||
| 16. | "Breathe Again" |
| Peter Groenwald | 3:49 |
| 17. | "Too High" (commentary) | 1:25 | ||
| 18. | "Too High" | Oladokun | Oladokun | 3:16 |
| 19. | "Younger Days" (commentary) | 1:41 | ||
| 20. | "Younger Days" | Oladokun |
| 3:34 |
| Total length: | 46:11 | |||
- Notes
- All song titles stylized in all lowercase.
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | July 17, 2020 | White Boy | |
| March 30, 2021 |
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References
- 1 2 3 4 Hansen, Susan (August 7, 2020). "Joy Oladokun's eclectic pop reflections brim with judgement and aspiration". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- 1 2 3 Commander, Loundes (July 16, 2020). "ON HAPPINESS AND HUMANNESS: A CONVERSATION WITH JOY OLADOKUN". Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ↑ "in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings) by Joy Oladokun on Tidal". Tidal. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
