Independent recording artist Bonner Black is entering a new chapter with the release of her five-track EP Little Bird In A Big Sky, a project that brings together her love of songwriting, storytelling, and an unexpected passion for birding.
Known for pairing emotionally honest lyrics with catchy, radio-ready melodies, Black draws from both personal experiences and unconventional stories across the new EP. The result is a collection of indie-Americana songs that explore relationships, modern dating, substance abuse, nostalgia and the unpredictable nature of life.
The project features “Honest Woman” and “If It’s Gone,” two songs that highlight Black’s ability to tackle heavier subjects while maintaining the humour and accessibility that have become part of her songwriting style.
Elsewhere, “Happy As We Were” takes inspiration from a real-life love story. The song follows the unusual journey of a couple who married at 19, divorced at 30, and eventually found their way back to each other at 50 after reconnecting at their daughter’s wedding.
The EP’s title track, “Little Bird In A Big Sky,” takes Black’s storytelling in a completely different direction.
Inspired by the Arctic Tern, a bird weighing less than a pound that makes one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom, the song reflects the unexpected influence birding has had on Black’s creative life.
Black discovered birding in 2021 during a difficult period, initially treating it as a hobby before it gradually became an important source of inspiration. An experience watching bird migration eventually helped her work through a period of self-doubt, strengthening the connection between nature, creativity, and personal discovery.
That connection continues beyond the EP through The Flyway Tour, an upcoming run of dates with fellow touring musician Walker Burroughs.
Inspired by the Mississippi Flyway, one of North America’s major migratory bird routes, the tour will combine concerts with bird walks and visits to nature centres along the route. The idea brings Black’s two worlds together, allowing audiences to experience live music while exploring local habitats and learning more about wildlife.
Ten percent of proceeds from the tour will benefit participating nature centres.
“When a bird lover and a tree lover happen to be touring musicians, you get The Flyway Tour,” Black says.
Black’s growing presence in the birding community has also introduced her to audiences outside the traditional music space. Her social media content was highlighted by British Vogue in its 2026 feature “Is Birdwatching Cool Now?”, while NBC’s Nightly News featured two of her birding reels in a segment exploring younger generations’ interest in activities traditionally associated with older generations.
A POPSUGAR feature focusing on Black’s rise within birding also generated more than five million Instagram views. For Black, however, music and birding share the same underlying appeal: the search for something new.
“The thing about music and birding is no matter how many songs I write or birds I see, I still want to chase that next one,” she says. “I hope when I look back at my discography and my life list, it will be a reflection of a life lived for stories and adventure.”
Following more than a decade of touring across the U.S. and U.K., Black now has over one million Spotify streams and nearly 200,000 social media followers. Her independent catalogue has also earned placements on the New York Times 2023 Spring Playlist, Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop and Apple Music’s Breaking Singer-Songwriter.
Raised in Hot Rock, Tennessee, Black moved to Nashville shortly after turning 17 to pursue music. In 2016, she received the Artist Entrepreneur Award from The Oxford Center of Entrepreneurs at The Times Center in New York City.
She has independently released two EPs and her debut album, Hopeless RomANTICS, while continuing to build a career around songwriting, live performance, and storytelling. Her work as a birder and conservation advocate has seen her collaborate with the Audubon Society, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. In 2025, she served as a keynote speaker at the Delta Birding Festival in Catalonia, Spain, and performed at Global Birdfair in the U.K.
She has also appeared on birding podcasts, received recognition from the American Birding Association, and hosted bird-themed events including “Birder Prom” at the Biggest Week In American Birding Festival. For the past two years, Black has incorporated bird walks and children’s birdwatching classes into her live performances, working with local wildlife and conservation groups to spotlight conservation efforts and the benefits of spending time in nature.
With Little Bird In A Big Sky, Bonner Black turns an unexpected passion into another chapter of her musical storytelling. And through The Flyway Tour, she is taking that idea one step further — connecting songs, birds, nature, and adventure in a live experience built around the same curiosity that has shaped her career.
Little Bird In A Big Sky Track List
Honest Woman
Little Bird In A Big Sky
Love In The Modern World
Happy As We Were
If It’s Gone
The Flyway Tour
October 17 — Chicago, IL
October 18 — Milford, OH
October 24 — Pelham, AL
October 25 — Auburn, AL
October 31 — Atlanta, GA
November 7 — Nashville, TN
