UK Powerhouse Jo Harman Returns With Heartfelt Rendition Of 'Someday We'll All Be Free'

A heartfelt homecoming from Jo Harman, one of Europe’s most emotive and courageous musical voices.

In a world dominated by hyper-produced pop, thumping EDM, and easily-digestible folk fluff, Jo Harman has always been something of an outlier. An artist of rare conviction and authenticity, she has long walked her own path — one defined not by chasing trends, but by emotional honesty, soulful storytelling, and a deep reverence for the human experience.

Her brand-new release, a stunning reinterpretation of Someday We’ll All Be Free, is her first studio recording under her own name since before the pandemic — and it’s nothing short of a triumph. Originally penned over 50 years ago by lyricist Edward Howard for the late Donny Hathaway, the song was born out of Hathaway’s harrowing struggles with paranoid schizophrenia. A deeply personal anthem about inner liberation and emotional pain, it carries an enduring resonance. And in Jo Harman’s hands, it becomes a powerful, present-day reflection of hope, humanity, and hard-won freedom.

Though the recording had been months in the making, Jo’s version was, by cosmic coincidence, captured the day after the infamous Oval Office spat between Trump and Zelensky — a geopolitical moment that seemed to signify a turning point in global affairs. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, and under the sensitive guidance of her longtime producer Mark Edwards, Harman delivered a performance so emotionally charged, it brought the room to a standstill.

One suspects that this rendition is as personal as it is political. With lines like “womanly pride” and “little darling” flowing through her vocals, there’s a tender maternal note, possibly inspired by Jo’s own four-year-old daughter. It’s a performance of soul, strength, and remarkable intimacy.

But to understand the depth of feeling Harman brings to a song like this, you have to understand where she comes from.

Jo Harman’s journey into music wasn’t the product of a PR machine or talent show shortcut. Her story is one of quiet rebellion, of resilience, of finding light through the darkest of nights.

Growing up in the pastoral calm of rural Devon, Jo was surrounded by love and curiosity. Her father ran a bookshop — a place where Jo would spend countless hours immersed in stories, ideas, and the magic of language. “My father was the apple of my eye,” she says. “My best friend.” Her childhood was filled with music, too — classical training on the bassoon, and hours spent listening to her father’s record collection: Bowie, The Beatles, The Moody Blues, The Stones.

But life, as it often does, had other plans. Just as Jo was finding her feet in London as a wide-eyed university student, her father was diagnosed with cancer. At just 22, Jo lost her beloved dad, and with him, her compass. Grief came like a wave — unrelenting and all-consuming. She returned home, broken and searching for solace. That’s when music found her again — not just as comfort, but as a necessity.

“I had written a song when my dad died, which I somehow managed to perform at his funeral,” she recalls. “That was the beginning of understanding that songwriting could be a way to survive.”

In a bid to heal, Jo took a trip to India — a pilgrimage for clarity and catharsis. But fate intervened again: she fell seriously ill and was hospitalized. Her recovery — timed with the festival of Diwali, the Hindu celebration of light — became a turning point. Weakened but spiritually awakened, she returned to the UK with a new mission: to tell her story through music.

From that moment, Jo Harman made a conscious decision: to reject the mainstream, to avoid the trappings of the industry, and to make music that mattered. Her debut album, Dirt On My Tongue (2013), was an emotional tour-de-force — a collection of raw, powerful songs that blended soul, blues, gospel, and country into something wholly her own.

Tracks like Cold Heart and (This Is My) Amnesty moved audiences to tears, not just for their beauty, but for their honesty. And it was in the live arena where Jo’s magic truly bloomed — audiences visibly moved, sometimes overwhelmed, by the depth of connection she created on stage. “I don’t consider myself a blues singer,” she has said. “There’s a bit of blues in what I do, but there’s a whole heap of soul, gospel, and country, too. I’m not fussed about the label. I’m more interested in telling a story.”

Her second album, People We Become, solidified her place as a major voice in modern soul music. Featuring Michael McDonald on the BBC Radio 2-playlisted When We Were Young, the album received international acclaim and chart success, not just in the UK but across Europe. And yet, even as the accolades rolled in, Jo stayed true to her independent ethos, building a sustainable, artist-driven career that continues to flourish.

Her new release — Someday We’ll All Be Free — is a continuation of that legacy. It’s not just a cover, but a reawakening of a song that speaks to the soul. With an accompanying video that reflects Jo’s values — including her outspoken activism with Amnesty International’s My Body, My Rights campaign — the performance feels like a meditation on the quiet strength of those who endure, resist, and rise.

As always, Jo Harman doesn’t shout to be heard. She sings from the heart, and in doing so, reaches yours.

Fans will have the opportunity to witness Jo's extraordinary artistry in person this spring. She headlines HRH Blues at the O2 Academy in Leicester on April 12, followed by a tour of the Netherlands, culminating in a headline performance at Groningen’s Rhythm and Blues Night on May 3.

She’s also a featured artist in the sold-out Soul Picnic at Ronnie Scott’s on May 20 — a coveted spot at one of London’s most iconic venues.

Beyond her solo work, Jo will also be touring internationally as co-lead vocalist with the Van Morrison Alumni Band, with a full UK tour scheduled for this autumn.

With Someday We’ll All Be Free, Jo Harman once again reminds us why she’s held in such high esteem by the soul and blues-loving community — and by music lovers who crave sincerity in a world of artifice.

A note of optimism in troubled times? Yes — but more than that, it's the voice of an artist who has lived, lost, loved, and found her truth through song.

And we are all the better for it.

For more, visit joharman.com and thevanmorrisonalumniband.com