ArtistDirect News
Noname Marks 10-Year Anniversary of Telefone with North-American Tour and London Festival Appearance
Noname, the Chicago‑born rapper and poet, is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her debut mixtape Telefone with a month‑long North‑American tour that begins on August 2 in Toronto and concludes on September 10 in her hometown of Chicago. Two months after the tour ends, she will perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival London in November. The tour, announced by Pitchfork.com, underscores the lasting impact of Telefone, which was released on July 31 2016 to universal critical acclaim.
The 10‑year celebration starts at Toronto’s historic Opera House on August 2, then moves to Boston’s Brighton Music Hall (August 4), New York’s Sony Hall (August 5), Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl (August 6), Richmond’s Jazz Festival (August 8), Washington, D.C.’s Howard Theatre (August 9), Atlanta’s The Loft (August 11), Houston’s House of Blues (August 14), Austin’s Emo’s (August 15), Dallas’s House of Blues (August 16), Denver’s Cervantes (August 18), Los Angeles’ The Fonda (September 1), San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom (September 2), Portland’s Wonder Ballroom (September 4), Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival (September 6), and finally Chicago’s Park West (September 10). The schedule is designed to take fans across the United States and Canada, revisiting the venues that helped shape Noname’s early career.
According to Pitchfork.com, the artist said, “I hope you were there. I hope 10 years ago in some small corner of the world you heard the imagination of young folks from the city of Chicago. Telefone was already breathing when I discovered it. It sat, quietly whispering to me between every blunt rotation outside youmedia, after every conversation with cam about the texture of sound, after I lived along enough to sing about it. Telefone was raised by a community.” The statement reflects the mixtape’s collaborative spirit, which featured guest appearances from Saba, Ravyn Lenae, Raury, and Smino.
Telefone was originally announced in 2012 but faced several delays before its final release in 2016. The free digital download, which runs 33 minutes across ten tracks, received praise from critics and helped establish Noname as a leading voice in jazz‑rap. Her subsequent releases—Room 25 (2018) and Sundial (2023)—continued to build on the lyrical depth and sonic experimentation that defined the mixtape. The anniversary tour therefore serves both as a retrospective of her early work and a reminder of her continued influence in contemporary hip‑hop.
In addition to the North‑American dates, Noname’s participation in the Pitchfork Music Festival London on November 2‑8 adds an international dimension to the celebration. The festival, which takes place across multiple London venues, is part of Pitchfork’s expansion beyond its Chicago roots. The lineup for 2026 includes artists such as The Avalanches, Ear, Tortoise, and Hania Rani, with Noname listed as a headliner. Her appearance aligns with the festival’s focus on alternative, experimental, and genre‑crossing music.
The tour’s itinerary highlights venues that have been significant in Noname’s career. For example, the Toronto Opera House, where the tour opens, is one of Canada’s oldest performance spaces, dating back to 1905. In Chicago, the final show at Park West—a venue known for hosting emerging hip‑hop acts—provides a full-circle moment, bringing the celebration back to the city where Telefone first resonated.
The 10‑year anniversary marks a milestone for both Noname and her audience. It offers a chance to revisit the mixtape that launched her career, to witness her evolution as an artist, and to experience her live performances across a wide array of venues. The inclusion of the Pitchfork Music Festival London further extends the celebration’s reach, positioning Noname within a broader international context.
As the tour progresses, industry observers note that the schedule reflects a strategic approach to anniversary celebrations: a mix of intimate venues and larger festivals, domestic and international dates, and a focus on venues that carry personal significance for the artist. The tour’s completion in September, followed by the London festival in November, provides a clear timeline for fans and industry stakeholders to plan attendance.
In summary, Noname’s 10‑year Telefone anniversary tour and subsequent London festival appearance underscore the mixtape’s lasting influence and the artist’s continued relevance in the hip‑hop landscape. The carefully curated dates, spanning major cities and iconic venues, offer a comprehensive look back at a pivotal release while setting the stage for future projects.
The 10‑year celebration starts at Toronto’s historic Opera House on August 2, then moves to Boston’s Brighton Music Hall (August 4), New York’s Sony Hall (August 5), Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl (August 6), Richmond’s Jazz Festival (August 8), Washington, D.C.’s Howard Theatre (August 9), Atlanta’s The Loft (August 11), Houston’s House of Blues (August 14), Austin’s Emo’s (August 15), Dallas’s House of Blues (August 16), Denver’s Cervantes (August 18), Los Angeles’ The Fonda (September 1), San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom (September 2), Portland’s Wonder Ballroom (September 4), Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival (September 6), and finally Chicago’s Park West (September 10). The schedule is designed to take fans across the United States and Canada, revisiting the venues that helped shape Noname’s early career.
According to Pitchfork.com, the artist said, “I hope you were there. I hope 10 years ago in some small corner of the world you heard the imagination of young folks from the city of Chicago. Telefone was already breathing when I discovered it. It sat, quietly whispering to me between every blunt rotation outside youmedia, after every conversation with cam about the texture of sound, after I lived along enough to sing about it. Telefone was raised by a community.” The statement reflects the mixtape’s collaborative spirit, which featured guest appearances from Saba, Ravyn Lenae, Raury, and Smino.
Telefone was originally announced in 2012 but faced several delays before its final release in 2016. The free digital download, which runs 33 minutes across ten tracks, received praise from critics and helped establish Noname as a leading voice in jazz‑rap. Her subsequent releases—Room 25 (2018) and Sundial (2023)—continued to build on the lyrical depth and sonic experimentation that defined the mixtape. The anniversary tour therefore serves both as a retrospective of her early work and a reminder of her continued influence in contemporary hip‑hop.
In addition to the North‑American dates, Noname’s participation in the Pitchfork Music Festival London on November 2‑8 adds an international dimension to the celebration. The festival, which takes place across multiple London venues, is part of Pitchfork’s expansion beyond its Chicago roots. The lineup for 2026 includes artists such as The Avalanches, Ear, Tortoise, and Hania Rani, with Noname listed as a headliner. Her appearance aligns with the festival’s focus on alternative, experimental, and genre‑crossing music.
The tour’s itinerary highlights venues that have been significant in Noname’s career. For example, the Toronto Opera House, where the tour opens, is one of Canada’s oldest performance spaces, dating back to 1905. In Chicago, the final show at Park West—a venue known for hosting emerging hip‑hop acts—provides a full-circle moment, bringing the celebration back to the city where Telefone first resonated.
The 10‑year anniversary marks a milestone for both Noname and her audience. It offers a chance to revisit the mixtape that launched her career, to witness her evolution as an artist, and to experience her live performances across a wide array of venues. The inclusion of the Pitchfork Music Festival London further extends the celebration’s reach, positioning Noname within a broader international context.
As the tour progresses, industry observers note that the schedule reflects a strategic approach to anniversary celebrations: a mix of intimate venues and larger festivals, domestic and international dates, and a focus on venues that carry personal significance for the artist. The tour’s completion in September, followed by the London festival in November, provides a clear timeline for fans and industry stakeholders to plan attendance.
In summary, Noname’s 10‑year Telefone anniversary tour and subsequent London festival appearance underscore the mixtape’s lasting influence and the artist’s continued relevance in the hip‑hop landscape. The carefully curated dates, spanning major cities and iconic venues, offer a comprehensive look back at a pivotal release while setting the stage for future projects.