The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.

Due to a leg injury, Danielle Ponder performed her concert “For the Love of Justice” from a fold-up chair.

“I feel like an old soul singer in this chair right now,” Ponder said. “You know, the ones who already have all the Grammys and don’t give a damn.”

Ponder, a former public defender and now full-time recording artist from Rochester performed at Syracuse University’s Community Folk Art Center stage on Friday night. The concert focused on themes of feminism, criminal justice, racial injustice, personal liberation and love.

The concert began with an opening act from Charles Jackson, who goes by the stage name DJ Dubl6. The DJ bobbed his head to the music as the audience listened to songs including “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” by Stevie Wonder and Kanye West’s 2004 smash hit “Jesus Walks.” Speeches from Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. were mixed in with the songs.

Charles told the virtual audience that he hoped they enjoyed the show before introducing Tanisha Jackson, the executive director of CFAC. Tanisha discussed how Ponder’s concert is part of CFAC’s program “Journey of Music Through the African Diaspora.” She wanted the audience to enjoy the show, grab a drink and dance before she introduced Ponder.

“Hello, Syracuse!” Ponder said to greet her audience from the center of the CFAC stage.

Although Ponder was limited to her seat, she tapped her foot to the music as her two electric guitarists, drummer and keyboardist played their instruments beside her.

She performed her original song “Holding Me Down” and said the song was “for anyone out there, if you’ve ever been in a relationship and you feel stuck and you feel like you can’t grow, this is for you.”

Another song, “Look Around” was an emotional piece that Ponder had written a few years ago at a time when she struggled with her faith.

Even though her audience was virtual, Ponder acted as though she was in front of a live crowd and encouraged everyone to clap and dance to the beat.

“It may not be easy, it’s difficult, ain’t nobody perfect out there,” Ponder said before introducing her next song of the night, “Be Gentle.” She closed her eyes with her arms outstretched as she sang.

The next song took on a more serious note as Ponder referenced the pandemic and the recent racial injustices the country has faced.

“It’s been a crazy few months to be Black in America,” Ponder said.

The song, ‘We Live,” was dedicated to “the Black folks who have been organizing around the world putting their bodies on the line,” Ponder said. “The leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement, this is for you.”

“I’ve got to warn you, something’s got to give,” she sang with an emotional expression on her face. She shook her head and snapped her fingers to the beat as the song came to an end.

At the end of her performance, Ponder turned away from her original music in favor of a cover. She sang a soulful rendition of “Creep” by Radiohead to end her portion of the night. She thanked the university, CFAC and her band before the camera switched back to Charles for him to perform one last time before the event ended.

“Let’s pray that 2021 is an amazing year with an abundance of joy… and all the things we took for granted,” Ponder said. “Let’s pray we see them in 2021. I believe we will.”

Published on November 21, 2020 at 12:00 am