One Night Live: 3-Week Tour Featuring Rising Stars Ellie Williams, Sofia Lafuente, and Farayi Malek Adds Shows In Chicago, IL, Jackson, MI, and Birmingham, AL
14-Date Run Begins May 16
D-TOUR, Live Music Society, and Salt Lick Incubator Collaborate On First-Of-Its-Kind Tour That Enables Talent to Perform In New Markets and Build Fanbases, Introducing Venues To Emerging Artists
April 23, 2025 - - The One Night Live Tour, announced April 2, has just added three more shows, with stops in Chicago, IL (Avondale Music Hall), Jackson, MS (Hal & Mals), and Birmingham, AL (Woodlawn Theatre). The 14-date tour, featuring rising artists Ellie Williams, Sofia Lafuente, and Farayi Malek, will kick off on May 16 in Miami, FL and run for three weeks, wrapping up in Nashville on June 1. This collaboration is a partnership with locally owned independent venues, which are the heartbeat of their communities and vital spaces for emerging talent. Billboard describes One Night Live as a mission to create a viable alternative for independent artists and venues that have been hit hardest by the growing cost of live events. Read more about it in Billboard and Pollstar. Each artist will perform their own set nightly, and in an effort to create a more efficient touring model, the artists will also serve as the backing musicians when the other takes center stage.
Tickets are now on sale at onenightlivetour.com, and you can watch preview performances here: Farayi, Sofia, Ellie. The tour will also help to promote Farayi's debut EP that dropped last month, as well as upcoming new music from Ellie (new single “Hostage” out today) and Sofia.
One Night Live is a first-of-its-kind tour and a fresh initiative produced through collaboration between three organizations that are working to improve the live music ecosystem. Live Music Society has supported a network of small venues across the U.S. with over $4 million in grants since 2020. D-TOUR, a network of independent venues and promoters, focuses on routing tours for emerging artists, creating unique opportunities at locally owned venues. Salt Lick Incubator has played a key role in helping these three artists, providing writing camps, collaborations, gig opportunities, and branding/marketing support to ensure their success.
This tour highlights the importance of independent venues, which serve as critical community hubs and launchpads for new artists. It will also address the significant challenges in the music industry, such as rising costs of touring, the lack of support for emerging artists, and the struggle of small venues, often operating on razor-thin margins, to stay open and host rising talent. Through One Night Live, Live Music Society, D-TOUR, and Salt Lick Incubator have envisioned a new model that demonstrates how to overcome these obstacles and provide rising artists with the tools that enables them to break into new markets, build their fanbases, and connect with local acts.
In a time where touring can feel financially prohibitive, this initiative provides much-needed external support and funding to help small venues host exciting new talent. Nearly half of the venues involved in the tour have received support from Live Music Society’s grant program. D-TOUR helped book the shows, route the tour, and select local support acts, while Salt Lick Incubator is taking the lead on marketing and logistical support. One Night Live is a unique and sustainable model, proving the power of collaboration between artists, venues, and these three organizations can drive change to the future of live music.
Cat Henry, executive director of Live Music Society, states: "The venues in our community want to, and need to, present new artists and welcome touring acts and new customers into their spaces, but it is becoming financially harder and harder to go on tour, and harder to run a smaller venue. When beloved venues close, their social media accounts are often full of comments like, ‘Oh no, I loved that place!’ or ‘What a huge loss,’ but without support it's not an overstatement to say we risk losing a platform for a generation of promising talent. Artists need places to play, places to stay, and people to listen, and with our partners in One Night Live, we can help make this happen and demonstrate a model that might increase the odds of success for all involved."
Says Tom DeGeorge, COO, D-TOUR: “D-TOUR is thrilled to be working with LMS to create better opportunities and sustainable paths for developing artists like the talented artists at Salt Lick as well as other incubators around the country. Now more than ever these pathways are needed to protect the relationship between independent venues and artists as well as to enhance the experience of the music fan who finds value and joy in discovering their next favorite artist in this intimate setting for one night live.”
Says Liza Levy, President, Salt Lick Incubator: “Salt Lick Incubator is committed to helping artists build sustainable careers and a crucial component of that is the ability to tour. It has become exceedingly difficult for an emerging artist to build their hard ticket history if they don’t land a coveted opening slot on a bigger tour and or have a viral moment. The support that Live Music Society, D-TOUR, and these independent venues are providing in this non-traditional way is a formidable win for the developing artist community.”
ABOUT
ELLIE WILLIAMS (she/her) is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles, known for her evocative blend of sounds inspired by Fleet Foxes, Maggie Rogers, and Norah Jones. With introspective lyrics, lush atmospheric production, and haunting melodies, Ellie’s music explores themes of self-reflection, queer identity, and personal growth. Her honest narratives not only shape inventive pop sounds but also create space for queer stories and voices to resonate and connect. With over 14 million streams across four singles and her debut EP Warning Signs, Ellie has cultivated a loyal fanbase and is set to release her highly anticipated sophomore EP in 2025. @ellie1williams
SOFIA LAFUENTE (she/her) is a Spanish-American artist and songwriter whose bicultural, bilingual upbringing lies at the heart of her introspective and emotionally charged music. Split between Miami and Madrid, Sofia has quickly made a name for herself in the Latin alternative music scene. Her ethereal vocals and evocative storytelling have earned her a dedicated following. Drawing inspiration from artists like Lana Del Rey, early Shakira, and Lizzie McAlpine, Sofia’s music resonates with listeners who connect to her vulnerability and emotional depth. Beyond her solo work, Sofia is also a sought-after songwriter, lending her distinctive voice and introspective lyrics to a variety of creative projects. With a growing presence in the industry, she continues to captivate audiences, solidifying her status as an artist to watch. @sofialafuentemusic
FARAYI MALEK (she/her) is a Grammy-nominated vocalist, world traveler, and solo artist returning to her musical roots. Raised in Southern Idaho by a Zimbabwean immigrant father and a white American mother, she grew up playing the fiddle and embracing diverse cultures. Farayi blends childhood gospel with blues and jazz, creating resonant songs that showcase her effortless vocals. Her debut roots project, produced by Alain Mallet, highlights her unique songwriting, with tracks like "Tonight" demonstrating her accessibility. A Salt Lick Incubator award-winner, she’s mentored by artists like T-Bone Burnett and Jon Batiste. Farayi also teaches at Berklee and New England Conservatory, inspired by her students to pursue her artistic career. Driven by a desire to help others feel seen, she connects with audiences through her soulful voice. @farayi.malek
(L to R: Ellie Williams, Sofia Lafuente, Farayi Malek)
Ellie 📷: Sam Victoria | Sofia 📷: Zoila Molina | Farayi 📷: Najee Visuals
TOUR ROUTING + TICKETS
5/16 | GRAMPS | MIAMI, FL
5/17 | CROWBAR | TAMPA, FL
5/19 | WILL’S PUB | ORLANDO, FL
5/20 | ALTAR (MASQUERADE) | ATLANTA, GA
5/21 | FLAT IRON | GREENSBORO, NC
5/22 | SONGBYRD | WASHINGTON D.C.
5/23 | SMILING MOOSE | PITTSBURGH, PA
5/25 | AVONDALE MUSIC HALL | CHICAGO, IL
5/24 | JILLY’S MUSIC ROOM | AKRON, OH
5/26 | THE SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL | NEWPORT, KY
5/27 | THE MONARCH | LOUISVILLE, KY
5/29 | HAL & MALS | JACKSON, MS
5/30 | WOODLAWN THEATRE | BIRMINGHAM, AL
6/01 | DRKMTTR COLLECTIVE | NASHVILLE, TN
D-TOUR is a network of independent venues and promoters focused on working with emerging artists and small independent venues to route tours, offering indie artists locally owned, unique venue experiences across multiple markets. https://d-tour.live/
Live Music Society is a nonprofit whose mission is to recognize and protect small venues across the United States, keeping live music accessible to all. https://www.livemusicsociety.org/
Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit which supports independent artists in building sustainable careers. Artists are selected by advisory board members: Jon Batiste, Julia Michaels, Susan Tedeschi, Harvey Mason Jr. Charlie Puth, Patrice Rushen, among others. https://www.saltlickincubator.org/