| In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Joy Oladokun |
| Cover: | In defense of my own happiness beginnings.jpeg |
| Length: | 32:24 |
| Prev Title: | Carry |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | In Defense of My Own Happiness |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
In Defense of My Own Happiness (The Beginnings) (stylized in all lowercase and originally titled In Defense of My Own Happiness (Vol. 1)) is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun. The ten-track album was released on July 17, 2020 through White Boy Records and re-released by Amigo Records and Verve Forecast Records under its current title on March 30, 2021.[1] It was promoted by eight singles. A sequel to the album, titled simply In Defense of My Own Happiness was released on June 4, 2021 and included "Sunday" and "Breathe Again" from volume one. A "complete edition" was released on July 9, 2021 collecting both volumes.
Susan Hansen, writing for The Line of Best Fit, gave the album a score of eight out of ten, saying "Showing the way into new genre-blending territory, Joy Oladokun’s fertile, present day mix of pop, R&B and folk constitutes irresistibility and pertinence." and compared her "guitar lines, vocals and contemplative lyrics" to Tracy Chapman.[2]
| Date | Format | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | July 17, 2020 | White Boy | |
| March 30, 2021 |