JONAVI Album Release Party & Concert
Written by Natalie Haruka | June 17, 2026
Photo by Ramray Wong
On May 30, The Ruins in Deep Ellum hosted BITE BACK: THE SHOWCASE. Friends, family and fans filed into the intimate space to celebrate singer-songwriter JONAVI's first album release. With opening acts from DonoSpectacular, ttt., ANDIE, the night ramped up, spanning across genres of R&B, hip hop and indie pop. As each artist took the stage, they led the crowd through their distinct sounds and stories, letting the audience in on their personal anecdotes and memories. From jumping on DonoSpectacular’s beat to swaying against ANDIE’s smooth notes, the audience followed the openers into anticipation for JONAVI to take the stage.
JONAVI kicked off the set with “easy peasy”, the bass strumming her into the cheeky lyrics. The crowd jumped in, familiar with the playful song, “I like him ‘cause he likes me”. As the show went on, Jonavi bounced from track to track, introducing different sounds and stories. Written over the course of three years, the debut album, bite my tongue, encompasses her arc of heartbreak, healing and rediscovering love. Deeply personal and raw, emotions danced on her every note. The tracks and performance carry varying expressions from nostalgia, to play, to warmth. Each song melted into the next, sometimes bookmarked with a short backstory of how the piece came to be, “This is about my ex.” JONAVI playfully explains before jumping into “do you? (tell her!)”
Perhaps it was the tight venue, or the band brimming with talent and chemistry, or the vulnerability of the artist, but by the end of the night the crowd was energetically united. Strangers turned towards each other, old friends reunited and the space was turned into what felt closer to a personal party of friends rather than a concert.
Photo by John Mai
The show ended with a YouTube stream of the music video for “easy peasy”. JONAVI pulled the production crew of the video (including director, Monica Silverio and featured actor of the video, Jordan Sobrino) on stage alongside the band and artists, cementing the feeling of shared art and space. BITE BACK: THE SHOWCASE turned JONAVI’s album into a connective experience. More than a concert, by the end of the night the crowd had melted into a community.
bite my tongue is streaming on all platforms with JONAVI performing live at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on Tuesday June 23.
Follow The Artist:
JONAVI:
Live Performance: https://partiful.com/e/2hdZNB4xgvNUbDhJpncD
Instagram: @jonavimusic
Spotify: JONAVI
