Ruthie Foster

A singular artist whose performances mix true passion with contagious joy, Ruthie Foster makes a welcome return to our stage this summer.

She has been described by Rolling Stone as “pure magic to watch and hear” and by the Austin American-Statesman as “a transcendent singer with uncommon power and emotion.” Raised in a family of gospel singers in rural Texas, she was a soloist in her community church by age 14. Her musical journey has since taken her far afield and back again to Texas, where she calls the music hub of Austin home. This longtime VFMF favourite remains rooted in tradition but her expressive and individual voice is not bound by a single genre of music.

Encompassing gospel, blues, folk, and country, her songs explore love, loss, and resilience. Her extraordinary live performances blow audiences away with her captivating presence and spellbinding voice–when she unleashes its power, well, if we had a roof at ʔəy̓alməxʷ Jericho Beach Park, her voice could blow it off!

After years of multiple Grammy nominations, this February she won the award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her recording Mileage. The record is a celebration of her career as a Black woman and LGBTQ+ artist and is a testament to the power of authenticity and resilience in music.

– EM