Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, J.S.Ondara fell in love with Bob Dylan and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota when he was 20 to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. He notes other musical influences as Neil Young, Noah Gundersen, Damien Rice and Ray LaMontagne. His debut album, Tales Of America, is an examination of the American Dream from an outsider's perspective; an introspection on a universal matter.