Allison Ponthier Sets Debut Headline Tour Following 'Karaoke Queen' Single

Texas native singer/songwriter Allison Ponthier has announced her first-ever headline tour, kicking off in June. The news comes on the heels of “Karaoke Queen,” the first single from her forthcoming debut album, which arrived Friday.

The five-date US run will begin in Boston on June 12, hitting NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on June 13 and wrapping at Schuba’s in Chicago on June 21 (full tour itinerary below). Presale begins April 2 at 10am local time, with general onsale beginning April 4 at 10am local time. For up-to-date ticketing information, please visit www.allisonponthier.com. 

“Karaoke Queen” arrived Friday to critical acclaim, including an exclusive interview with Variety, who praised the “sweet” single. Billboard celebrated the “tender, fragile new ballad,” highlighting her “ethereal voice and unmatched skills at confessional lyricism,” while Rolling Stone hailed the track as a “Song You Need To Know.” Consequence commended the “luminous” single and raved, “There’s a whole world contained in the track.”

Showcasing delicate finger-picked guitar and Ponthier’s warm, shimmering vocals, “Karaoke Queen” was written four years ago with Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, Ryan Beatty) and Micah Premnath during a time of uncertainty when Ponthier was confronting her greatest fear—being dropped by her major label. Now an independent artist after experiencing her “worst case scenario,” the song arrives as a reflection on the fragility of dreams and the resilience to face our fears head-on, offering a comforting reminder that even when our worst fears materialize, things will turn out okay.

"I wrote ‘Karaoke Queen’ four years ago, after I signed my first record deal,” shared Ponthier. “The most terrifying outcome I could imagine was losing my deal by getting dropped, something that felt really possible because I came from Texas with no real knowledge of music business beforehand. With Ethan Gruska and Micah Premnath, we wrote a story about a girl who gets signed to a major, gets dropped, and has to move back to her hometown. She’s embarrassed and discouraged, but then she finds herself becoming the star of the local karaoke bar in town, and ultimately happy.”

She continued, “By writing this song, it helped me imagine my worst fear but with a happy ending. So when it actually happened to me in late 2024, I was crushed, but, like the song, it truly was one of the best things that I didn’t know needed to happen. I hope other people can relate to the moral of the story: sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you get what you need."

Ponthier first broke through with the 2021 EP Faking My Own Death — a collection that documented her coming-out story and delivered a dreamy fusion of indie-folk, alt-rock, and left-of-center country-pop. That same year, the Brooklyn-based artist teamed up with Lord Huron for the hit single “I Lied,” then joined the band on the road + made her late-night TV debut on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

2022 saw Ponthier’s sophomore EP Shaking Hands with Elvis earn raves from the likes of Consequence, who compared the project to “the dynamic folk-tinged stoicism of Kacey Musgraves and Orville Peck.” She’s toured with Bleachers, Holly Humberstone, The Japanese House, Hayley Kiyoko, NIKI, and Maren Morris, and been championed by the likes of Elton John and Brandi Carlile. Ponthier was recently featured in John’s Oscar nominated documentary, Elton John: Never too Late + performed at Carlile’s annual Girls Just Wanna Weekend. Ponthier’s music + whimsical creative vision have been touted by the likes of Vogue, Rolling Stone, NPR, Vulture, NME, The FADER, V Magazine and many more.

ALLISON PONTHIER 2025 HEADLINE TOUR DATES

June 12 / Boston, MA / The Sinclair

June 13 / New York, NY / Bowery Ballroom

June 14 / Washington D.C. / The Atlantis

June 20 / Dallas, TX / Club Dada

June 21 / Chicago, IL / Schuba’s

PHOTO CREDIT: Julian Buchan

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