Allison Ponthier Is Not Your Usual Pop Star

The queer artist has been an opener for Hayley Kiyoko during her "Panaroma Tour," and we were there for her set in New York to capture the magic live.

Photo: @hectorgtzname

In a world dominated by catchy yet short anthems and extravagant optics, Allison Ponthier stands out as a different kind of pop star. She grew up in a religious town in Texas, where her music was reserved to the confines of her bedroom and the lyrics she wrote were for her eyes only. Allison's mom loved country, her dad preferred jazz, and her grandparents were music teachers.

The Texas native moved to New York in 2017, where she did tons of stuff aside from music, which included modeling, selling jewelry she made, and drawing commissioned portraits of people's pets. But it was during the pandemic that her career took a different path. Like many bedroom artists, Allison found a creative outlet with TikTok.

Before taking the stage with Hayley Kiyoko's Panorama Tour, the singer-songwriter completed a multi-date tour opening for Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers and released an incredible sophomore EP, Shaking Hands With Elvis. This EP follows Allison's debut EP, "Faking My Own Death," which was released during the pandemic. The EP featured the single "Cowboy," a heartfelt anthem about her move to Brooklyn and her journey of embracing her queer identity. This has become a common thread in her work, focusing on stumbling through life and self-discovery. While Allison's debut EP focused on the the arduous path to understand herself, "Shaking Hands With Elvis" takes a more lighthearted approach. It's about finding love and acceptance in her shortcomings, and using them as power rather than a source of fear.

Allison's authenticity is what make her special. She's not trying to fit into the typical pop star mold, instead, she's staying true to herself and creating a space for her fans to connect and find solace in her music. Her lyrics are like little snapshots of her life, capturing moments of vulnerability and self-discovery. Now, she's about to wrap up her tour with Hayley Kiyoko. During her latest performance at Irving Plaza in New York, it was heartwarming to see so many fans expressing their love for Allison and singing along to her lyrics. There's no doubt she's someone on the brink of something huge, so make sure you are one of the lucky ones to see her journey from the start.

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