What I'm Grateful For: 2024

It's been three years since FUV launched our annual series on gratitude, asking musicians what they've been most thankful for over the past year — and the songs and charities that have meant the most to them. You can read what artists wrote in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

It's been far from a tranquil or peaceful year in the world, but when things seem darkest, it's still possible to give thanks for the small things that buoy us. This year, FUV is grateful that these artists offered their honest perspective on how 2024 has impacted them: Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson, Sarah Kinsley, Billy Strings, Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano, Lady Blackbird, Mike Doughty, Porij's Egg, and Gigi Perez.

What have you been most grateful for in 2024?

Billy Strings: That’s an easy one. The birth of my son, River.

Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano: My family, my children! The little things like having dinner together, I love cooking and I’m so grateful to be able to eat good food with my favorite people! I have had a great time finishing up my [solo] album and cooking up a storm this year!

Lady Blackbird: I am grateful for the ability to continue to do what I love most. Having released my first album, Black Acid Soul, during the pandemic, I have such perspective and gratitude for the opportunity to go out on the road and commune and celebrate with people.

Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson: I have been most grateful for the feeling of newness and possibilities surrounding creativity, my friendships, and my own understanding of this life. I'm also so thankful for my partner and band member Peter [Mansen] who has been continuously there for me, especially through a season of immense unraveling as we were finding our way towards finishing our latest album. He helped push me further out into the water, take new risks, and find a deeper sense of freedom in my artistry.

Sarah Kinsley: My home, new and old friends, my partner. Love is the most sustaining thing this year!

Mike Doughty: I met a lot of young queer people in 2024. I am, perhaps it goes without saying, straight and old. I’ve just been really moved to hear their stories of self-acceptance, and have been intellectually enriched by their perspective on life.

Egg of Porij: 2024 has been a year of real highs and real lows but I’m most grateful this year for community. I have the privilege of working with a community of generous, talented people making and distributing music, and this year I’ve been able to spend time in the communities of amazing people enjoying the music we’ve been making. Releasing our debut album and getting to connect with all these pockets of people within their own communities has been really special. Watching all those different communities then merge at live shows has been beautiful.

Gigi Perez: I'm most grateful for my family, friends, and my dogs. My relationships are the most important thing to me and I'm blessed to share my life and musical adventures with them.

Is there a particular cause or charity that means a lot to you ... and why?

Billy Strings: Well House. They purchase vacant, boarded-up houses in Grand Rapids and bring them back to life. I grew up skateboarding in the area and saw how much the homeless community needed (and still needs) help.

Yukimi Nagano: The war on Gaza is so unbelievably sad. My heart goes out to all the children and broken families. Of course, when I see pictures of kids in Palestine, I think of my own children and how being born in the wrong place can cost you your life. It’s a crime, this should not be happening.

Lady Blackbird: Any charity, from domestic abuse to mental health and LGBTQIA initiatives, which are vital and crucial to my daily life.

Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson: I really love being a part of after-school programs geared towards marginalized kids who are looking for an outlet in music. I am especially drawn to those who are feeling stuck in their emotions or their circumstances and are learning how to express themselves fully. I also love Aurora Commons in Seattle which gives many of our drug dependent and unhoused community members a place to be loved, respected and taken care of.

Sarah Kinsley: Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about Planned Parenthood — this year’s election is a terrifying future for women’s health and rights. Their work is necessary and important.

Mike Doughty: Jail Guitar Doors is an organization that brings instruments and music lessons into the prison system. I have been one of those instructors, and it’s a tremendously moving experience. One of their founders is the great Brother Wayne Kramer, of the MC5, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, the same year in which he tragically died of cancer. He was a wonderful friend, and incredibly passionate about the humanity of incarcerated people. If there are any Nashville or Memphis based musicians who’d like to be involved, it would be amazing to extend JGD’s mission to the state of Tennessee.

Porij's Egg: I’d like to highlight a charity in the UK that’s close to my heart. It’s called Not A Phase and it’s a trans-led, grassroots charity committed to uplifting and improving the lives of trans+ adults through awareness campaigning, social projects, and funding new initiatives for our community. It’s a really scary time to be trans right now in the world and having spaces to be with your community without fear of prejudice is essential and life saving.

Gigi Perez: I've always wanted to get involved with mental health and addiction causes as it's affected my life and the life of my family and I look forward to dedicating more time in the new year to bringing awareness.

When you look back at your life as a musician, what song are you most grateful to have written and why?

Billy Strings: "Dust in a Baggie." I have heard musicians cover that song all over the world. To have one of my songs called out in a bluegrass jam makes me feel like I’ve actually contributed to my field.

Yukimi Nagano: I can’t say that there is that one song. Looking back I see it all as a string of events. One song leads to another and some get released, but a lot of them don’t. I’m grateful to have a studio where I can express myself freely, experiment, and keep growing and changing as a writer.

Lady Blackbird: That’s a tricky question because every song is so unique in its own right. On my new album Slang Spirituals, the songs “No One Can Love Me (Like You Do)” and “Man on a Boat” are very powerful for me.

Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson: I'm really grateful for the song “Eyes Are Red." There is a line that I repeat that says “don’t be afraid, don’t be ashamed” which is such a simple mantra but one that I have to keep coming back to time and time again. It’s taught me how to be bolder, take more risks, and to be fully myself.

Sarah Kinsley: It’s definitely "The King." That song was the true beginning of it all —  it was the thing that paved the way for everything that’s followed since, all the places I’ve toured, the people I’ve met, the future projects I’ve written.

Mike Doughty: There’s a song called “White Lexus,” from my album Haughty Melodic. Like many songwriters, I find that great songs tend to feel channeled more than written, and I am grateful that the cosmos put that one in my heart.

Porij's Egg: The Porij song "Nobody Scared." It’s the first song we released that connected with people on a bigger scale and it really opened doors for us to continue doing what we love. It was the first time I was really vulnerable in the music I was writing and that openness allowed people to engage and that was a really valuable lesson to learn early on.

Gigi Perez: I'm grateful to have written "Fable." I put together specific feelings that had no name for years into a song. It's been a relief to express them and find that others take comfort in it too.

- November 2024

More about the artists:

Billy Strings' new album Highway Prayers became the first bluegrass album to top the Billboard all-genre album charts in 22 years in October. Recently, the Nashville-based Grammy winner, who is on tour in December, shared the first song he ever played for his newborn son on Instagram.

Sweden's Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon has released her first solo single as Yukimi called "Break Me Down," out now on Ninja Tune, with an album to follow in 2025. With the Grammy-nominated Little Dragon, Nagano has released multiple EPs and seven albums, most recently 2023's Slugs of Love. Yukimi makes her live solo debut at New York's (Le) Poisson Rouge on December 2-3 with more dates to follow in California through December 9.

Lady Blackbird released her second album, Slang Spirituals, this year, three years after her debut, Black Acid Soul. Although born in New Mexico, Lady Blackbird (real name Marley Munroe) has made her biggest career strides in the UK jazz scene — and she's been championed by Moby, Chaka Khan and Goldie. Lady Blackbird just performed "Reborn" on the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" finals in October.

Deep Sea Diver's Jessica Dobson and her band recently signed to Sub Pop and released a new single, "Billboard Heart," which Dobson says is partly inspired by director Wim Wenders' haunting 1984 film "Paris, Texas" as well as the songs of Tom Petty. The Seattle-based Dobson and Deep Sea Diver have released three albums, most recently 2020's Impossible Weight. A new album is expected in 2025.

New York-based Sarah Kinsley released her debut album Escaper this summer on Verve Forecast/Decca. Ahead of her North American headlining tour, Kinsley and her band played an FUV Live session and she sold out her headlining gig at Webster Hall in October.

After years as a solo artist, Mike Doughty reunited with his Soul Coughing bandmates this year for a tour, the group's first in 25 years. That surprise reunion, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of Ruby Vroom, delighted the band's fans, and included a stop on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" with a dynamite version of "Super Bon Bon."

Egg, Porij's lead vocalist, and their three bandmates released their debut album, Teething, in the spring. Porij toured the States for the first time, including SXSW and a stop at Studio A for an FUV Live/UKNY session. Egg recently connected with Metronomy's Joseph Mount for an effervescent new single called "Petit Boy."

Following the release of her 2023 EP, How To Catch A Falling Knife, New Jersey-born Gigi Perez has restarted her career on a new label, Republic, and a breakthrough single, "Sailor Song." Look for a new FUV Live session with Perez the week of December 2. She's touring the States with Girl in Red this fall, including a stop at Montclair's Wellmont Theater on December 1.