Rhiannon Giddens

Rhiannon Giddens has made an iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into nearly every field imaginable. A two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and instrumentalist, MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient, and Pulitzer Prize-winning opera composer, Giddens works to lift up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased, advocating for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. As Pitchfork once said, “few artists are so fearless and so ravenous in their exploration”—a journey that has led to NPR naming her one of its 25 Most Influential Women Musicians of the 21st Century and to American Songwriter calling her “one of the most important musical minds currently walking the planet.” Giddens will perform selections from her first album of entirely original songs, “You’re the One,” alongside other work from her expansive repertoire. The Prior Performing Arts Center hosts Giddens after presenting a sneak peek of her and Michael Abels’ opera “Omar” in spring 2023.