Ouida

Ouida (pronounced “wee-duh”) makes cinematic soul-pop that plays like a living archive — where joy and ache are inseparable, and every song feels like a memory in motion. Raised in San Francisco’s Portola District, she blends contemporary soul, alternative R&B, and pop-minded songwriting with rich, jazz-inflected live instrumentation shaped by gritty, darker sonic textures. Through smoky, lived-in vocals and intimate storytelling, Ouida explores identity, belonging, and what it means to choose a path when none of them feel simple. Since debuting in 2020, she has built momentum on stage and across releases — from a 10-city NPR Tiny Desk tour in 2025 (following her feature on the contest-winning “Bakunawa”) to a sold-out 75-minute headline set at San Jose Jazz in 2026. She has performed at major venues across the U.S., including the Chase Center, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Thalia Hall, The Regent Theater, and The Howard Theatre, and was invited to perform at the California Democratic Convention. Along the way, she has shared the stage with artists such as Esperanza Spalding, Rufus Wainwright, Lucius, Raveena, and Madison McFerrin. In 2025, she released her second EP, So Bitter, So Sweet, under Bolo Music Group — a three-part record tracing the afterglow of love, place, and friendship, and how the people and moments that shape us continue to echo long after they’ve passed.