On Friday, February 10 at 8 p.m., McCarter Theatre Center welcomes American soul singer and former public defender Danielle Ponder. In 2020, NPR described her music as “anthemic while compassionate; soulful, while bold and strong. She reverberates with a goosebump-inducing passion.”

Ponder attended Northeastern University where she received her Juris Doctorate. For five years, she worked as a public defender providing criminal defense to the indigent community. While working as a public defender, Ponder also performed in Europe and scored an opening spot with George Clinton. In 2018, after five years as a public defender, she made the decision to pursue her No. 1 passion — music. In 2021, Ponder performed at the Newport Jazz Festival where her performance was hailed as one of the standout performances of the event.

Ponder had a banner year in 2022 with appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS This Morning, and tours with Marcus Mumford, Amos Lee, St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Leon Bridges. Ponder’s debut album, Some of Us Are Brave, came out on September 16 on Future Classic. Ponder continues to advocate for criminal justice reform and has been an influential leader in the Black Lives Matter movement in Rochester, N.Y.

Ticket prices range from $25 to $45. To purchase, visit https://www.mccarter.org/season/2022-2023/danielle-ponder/ or call 609.258.2787.