Aoife O'Donovan — Voice of the New Americana

By Abram

Aoife O'Donovan — Voice of the New Americana

If you’ve spent any time in the world of contemporary folk, bluegrass, or Americana over the last two decades, you’ve almost certainly encountered the work of Aoife O’Donovan. Born in Boston and based in Brooklyn, she has become one of the most recognizable and respected voices in roots music—as the frontwoman of the string band Crooked Still, one-third of the supergroup I’m With Her, and as a solo artist with a string of acclaimed albums and Grammy nominations. This is a guide to her path, her bands, and the records that define her.

Early years and the birth of Crooked Still

Aoife Maria O’Donovan was born on November 18, 1982, in Boston, Massachusetts. She has been active in music since 2001 and grew into the role of bandleader and songwriter while studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. There she met bassist Corey DiMario; together with banjoist Gregory Liszt and cellist Rushad Eggleston, they formed Crooked Still—a band that would be described by The Boston Globe as “the most important folk group to emerge from Boston since the early 60’s.”

Crooked Still is a defiantly non-traditional bluegrass quintet: high energy, technically sharp, and built around an unusual instrumental blend of cello, bass, banjo, and later fiddle (with Brittany Haas), rather than the typical guitar-and-mandolin setup. O’Donovan’s voice—warm, clear, and capable of both intimacy and power—became the band’s signature. The group’s style sits at the intersection of progressive bluegrass, country folk, and Americana, mixing rock drive with mountain soul and ethereal balladry.

Crooked Still’s albums—including Hop High, Shaken by a Low Sound, and Still Crooked—remain touchstones for fans of modern acoustic music. Tracks like “Little Sadie” and “Ecstasy” from Shaken by a Low Sound later reached a huge new audience when they appeared in the video game The Last of Us Part II and the Emmy-nominated HBO series. The band’s Wikipedia entry and official site are good places to dig deeper into their history and discography.

Sometymes Why and The Wayfaring Strangers

Beyond Crooked Still, O’Donovan has long been part of the collaborative folk scene. Her first professional group was The Wayfaring Strangers. She is also a founding member of Sometymes Why, a folk-noir trio with Ruth Ungar (of The Mammals and Mike + Ruthy) and Kristin Andreassen. The trio’s vocal harmonies and spare, atmospheric arrangements blend Americana, old-time, and alternative folk. They released Sometimes Why (2005) and Your Heart is a Glorious Machine (2009). More on the band can be found at Wikipedia and their official website.

I’m With Her — A folk supergroup

In 2014, O’Donovan joined forces with Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek; official site) and Sarah Jarosz (official site) to form I’m With Her. The trio had first sung together at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado; the chemistry was immediate. The New York Times would later describe their blend as ranging from “sweetly ethereal” to “as tightly in tandem as country sibling teams like the Everly Brothers.”

I’m With Her’s debut album, See You Around (2018), was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios and co-produced by Ethan Johns. It established them as a major force in contemporary folk. In 2024 they released Wild and Clear and Blue, deepening their catalog of original songs and harmony-driven arrangements. The band’s official website and Wikipedia page are the best places to follow tour dates and news.

Solo career — From Fossils to All My Friends

As a solo artist, O’Donovan has released a series of records that balance songcraft, atmosphere, and a willingness to experiment.

  • Fossils (2013) was her debut solo album after years with Crooked Still. It won broad critical praise—including The Sunday Times Album of the Week—and set the template for her sound: literate, melodic, and rooted in folk and Americana without being bound to tradition.

  • In the Magic Hour (2016) followed, produced by Tucker Martine and leaning into a more spacious, reflective mood. It reinforced her reputation as a songwriter and a vocalist who can carry both intimacy and scale.

  • Age of Apathy (2022) earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. It’s a record of sharp observation and emotional clarity, with production that feels both modern and timeless.

  • All My Friends (2024) pushed further: orchestral arrangements, choral vocals, and guests including Anaïs Mitchell, Sierra Hull, The Westerlies, and The Knights. The album was partly inspired by women’s suffrage and the 19th Amendment. It received Grammy nominations for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Song.

She has also released EPs and live projects (including Blue Light, Peachstone, Live From The Hi•Fi, and Aoife O’Donovan Plays Nebraska), and for a decade was a regular on the radio programs Live from Here and A Prairie Home Companion. She has performed with the Boston Pops and the National Symphony Orchestra, bridging folk and classical audiences.

Her official website and Bandcamp are the best places to keep up with music, merch, and tour dates.

Why her voice endures

Aoife O’Donovan’s work sits at a crossroads: she honors bluegrass and traditional folk, sings and writes with the discipline of a conservatory-trained musician, and isn’t afraid of orchestration, production, or thematic ambition. Whether fronting Crooked Still, harmonizing in I’m With Her, or leading her own band and orchestral projects, she has remained one of the most distinctive and reliable voices in the new Americana. If you’re new to her music, start with any of her solo LPs or with I’m With Her’s See You Around—then work backward to Crooked Still and Sometymes Why. There’s a lot to discover, and it’s all worth hearing on vinyl.