Joanna Newsom’s hometown of Nevada City has declared May 27 “Joanna Newsom Day.” On Wednesday, a City Council meeting was held at Nevada City’s City Hall where mayor Adam Kline, a longtime friend and early supporter of Newsom (who also plays in the band Golden Shoulders), made the announcement. He presented her with the honor, commending her contributions to the “cultural vitality” of the city.
Following the honor, Newsom gave an entertaining 15-minute acceptance speech, which she admitted she wrote at 2 a.m. (you can watch it at the 9:50 timestamp below). “Thank you so much Mayor Kline. This proclamation truly means more to me than a Grammy any other award could,” she said. “Nevada City, you’re so dear to me. Being formally recognized as your native daughter is one of the highest honors I could imagine.” She went on to speak about Kline’s early support of her demos, childhood memories in Nevada City, and in one hilarious stretch, the difference between a metaphor and a simile.
Joanna Newsom’s last album, Divers, was released in 2015. The singer-songwriter last performed a headline show in 2024, at the Hollywood Forever’s Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles.
Revisit the concert review Witnessing Joanna Newsom’s Surprise New Era.