Danielle Ponder, a singer-songwriter from Rochester and based in Atlanta, is fully living in the present moment, an awareness that inspires her second album, Everything Has Changed, marking her debut on Dead Oceans in partnership with Phoebe Bridgers. This most assertive album of her career bears witness to a profound transformation, with the artist having moved from practicing law to becoming a fully fledged musical force. This artistic freedom can be felt in the lead single “Power,” a statement and affirmation for the Black diaspora, as well as in other standout tracks like “Sun and Moon,” the blues ballad “God of You,” and the deeply vulnerable “Open Windows.” The album deconstructs the narratives of the past in order to find peace. Although music had always been present, Danielle Ponder first pursued a legal career focused on criminal justice reform while singing with the family band. It was only in her late thirties that she considered music full-time, taking the leap in 2021 at 39. That successful gamble led her to sign her first record deal in 2022 and achieve international recognition. Her critically acclaimed debut album, Some of Us Are Brave, established her as an essential soul voice thanks to tracks like “Someone Like You” and the title track, notably featured in an Apple campaign for the iPhone 16 Pro. Since then, she has gone on to make television appearances and play sold-out shows across America and Europe.