Kimya Dawson — Simple Folk Radio Session, 2012

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Why this recording

Simple Folk Radio, a programme that has archived sessions by folk and independent artists since 2005, teamed up with Galapagos Presents for this shoot, and the video sits on the latter's channel. The format runs seventeen minutes: Kimya Dawson alone on guitar and vocals, in a session series designed first for radio and then filmed. Posted on Christmas Eve 2012, it was followed in 2013 by a separate clip, "Same Shit / Complicated", released under the same Simple Folk Radio banner. Together they offer a short, direct record of her solo repertoire at the time.

— Simon Janvier, live-sound professional and editor of the catalogue

Recording technical sheet

Rights-holding channelGalapagosPresents
Uploaded
Exact runtime
ResolutionHD (720p+)

Metadata checked on YouTube on 29 September 2026.

Published on September 17, 2026 by

Filmed live session by Kimya Dawson for Simple Folk Radio and Galapagos Presents, in 2012. An emblematic figure of American anti-folk, former half of the cult duo The Moldy Peaches and a defining voice on the soundtrack of the film Juno, Kimya Dawson delivers here an intimate live concert, alone with her guitar. This stripped-down capture foregrounds her sincere, funny writing, disarming in its fragility, mixing introspection, humor and commitment. Far from any flashy production, the session reveals the closeness of an artist who inspired a whole generation of lo-fi, DIY songwriters. This filmed radio format illustrates the strength of minimalist folk: one voice, one guitar, lyrics about childhood, anxiety and tenderness. A folk live performance to discover for the authenticity and warmth of a singular singer, whose apparent simplicity hides a rare depth. An acoustic live concert ideal for exploring the anti-folk scene and the singular world of Kimya Dawson, filmed in a deliberately pared-back setting.

Personnel & credits

  • Kimya Dawson — vocals, guitar
Category

What to watch next

Neither Kimya Dawson nor Simple Folk Radio Session appears elsewhere in the catalogue: what follows rests on the ground itself, Folk from the 2010s.