Dita Dimone April 18th, 2023 - 9:52 PM
Natalie Merchant unveils new video for “Big Girls” – an emotive and empowering track from her new album, “Keep Your Courage”. Directed by Matthew Shattuck, the video exudes Merchant’s sophisticated sound, featuring Abena Koomson-Davis of The Resistance Revival Chorus in a special guest vocal appearance. The new eleven-track studio album was produced entirely by the multi-Grammy-nominated folk-rock artist, and is her first project since 2014’s self-titled record.
An exploration of love and passion, “Keep Your Courage” has been met with extensive praise and acclaim by critics. The project focuses on themes of resilience and unity during times of hardship, spanning everything from protest and injustice to resilience and perseverance.
Merchant’s collaboration with Abena Koomson-Davis of the Resistance Revival Chorus on the single “Big Girls” foreshadows the powerful message found in the song and throughout the project. “I was completely taken by Abena’s personality, her voice, and the mission of the chorus,” the iconic artist shared. “I hadn’t even written the songs, but I loved the way that our voices blended and wanted us to sing together.”
The songbird’s latest musical offering is garnering critical praise due to its insoiring sound and powerful messaging. She now embaks on a major headlining tour that will bring her soulful music to stages across the globe. Select shows will linclude special performances of Merchant accompanied by local symphony orchestras.
Fans everywhere can look forward to a new wave of musical gems with the release of “Big Girls” and the “Keep Your Courage” album.
Keep Your Courage Tracklist
- Big Girls
- Come on, Aphrodite
- Sister Tilly
- Narcissus
- Hunting the Wren
- Guardian Angel
- Eye of the Storm
- Tower of Babel
- Song of Himself
- The Feast of Saint Valentine
Bonus Content
- Spring and Fall: To a Young Child (from 2010’s Leave Your Sleep)
- Butterfly (from 2017’s Butterfly)
- Giving up Everything (from 2014’s Natalie Merchant)
- Frozen Charlotte (from 2017’s Butterfly; original version on 1998’s Ophelia)
Natalie Merchant Tour—U.S.
April 18—Pittsburgh, PA— Byham Theater
April 19— Charlottesville, VA— Paramount Theater
April 21—Philadelphia, PA—Kimmel Cultural Campus
April 22—Hershey, PA—The Hershey Theatre
April 24—Greenville, SC—Peace Center Concert Hall
April 26—Clearwater, FL—Ruth Eckerd Hall
April 27—Fort Lauderdale, FL—with The South Florida Symphony Orchestra
Au-Rene Theater – Broward Center for the Performing Arts**
April 28—St. Augustine, FL—The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
April 30—Atlanta, GA—with The Atlanta Symphony at Atlanta Symphony Hall**†
May 9—Portland, ME—Merrill Auditorium
May 10—Boston, MA—Emerson Colonial Theatre†
May 11—Boston, MA—Emerson Colonial Theatre
May 13—Cleveland, OH—Keybank State Theatre
May 14—Cincinnati, OH—Taft Theatre
May 16—Carmel, IN—The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts†
May 17—Ann Arbor, MI—Michigan Theater
May 19—Chicago, IL—Chicago Theatre
May 20—Milwaukee, WI—The Pabst Theater
June 2–3—New York, NY—Lincoln Center for the
Performing Arts—Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center**
June 25—Newark, NJ—New Jersey Performing Arts Center**
June 28—Providence, RI—Veterans Memorial Auditorium**
June 30—Washington, DC—John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts**
July 1—Washington, DC—John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts**
July 8—Chautauqua, NY—Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater**
September 20—Spokane, WA—Martin Woldson Theatre at The Fox
September 22—Seattle, WA—Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
September 23—Portland, OR—Keller Auditorium
September 26—San Francisco, CA—The Masonic
September 27—Saratoga, CA—The Mountain Winery
September 29—San Diego, CA—Humphrey’s†
September 30—Los Angeles, CA—Walt Disney Concert Hall
Natalie Merchant Tour—Europe
November 2—London, UK—London Palladium
November 3—London, UK—London Palladium
November 5—Glasgow, UK—Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
November 6—Manchester, UK—O2 Apollo Manchester
November 8—Dublin, IE—3Olympia
November 11—Bath, UK—The Forum
November 13—Amsterdam, NL—Carré Theatre
November 14—Brussels, BE—Cirque Royal
**With symphony orchestra
†Sold Out
