Sonya Kitchell
| Sonya Kitchell | |
|---|---|
 Sonya Kitchell in 2006. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sonya Kitchell |
| Born |
March 1, 1989 Northampton, Massachusetts |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Unsigned |
| Website | http://www.sonyakitchell.com |
Sonya D. Kitchell (born March 1, 1989 in Ashfield, MA[1]) is an American singer-songwriter. Kitchell formed her first band and began writing music in 2001. In 2004 Sonya signed with Velour Records and was named the second Starbucks Hear Music Artist, releasing her first international-selling record, Words Came Back to Me on Velour Records. She has toured globally to Japan, Europe and across the U.S. many times in support of the album.
Kitchell has appeared on numerous late-night TV shows, including the Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CNN, CBS and garnered rave reviews from the LA Times, Boston Globe, NY Times and NPR. She has appeared in venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl, amongst numerous notable stages around the world. In 2007 she joined forces with Herbie Hancock, singing on his Grammy-winning Joni Mitchell tribute titled River: The Joni Letters. Hancock invited Kitchell to join him on tour, to sing in his band, in support of the record for the following year. That gave her the chance to work alongside such notables as Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Milton Nascimento, Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, and many more.
Shortly after her year spent touring with Hancock, Kitchell released her second album This Storm in 2008 on Decca Records, produced by Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris), in collaboration with renowned rock band, The Slip, to much critical acclaim.
In 2009, Kitchell joined forces with long-time friend and collaborator Garth Stevenson, and together they created a collection of string-quartet based music. The album Convict of Conviction was released in 2010, produced by Stewart Lerman (Antony and the Johnsons, David Byrne). Over the next year Kitchell explored a more dramatic, cinematic side to her music performing as Sonya Kitchell & The Brooklyn Strings.
Over the last few years Kitchell has been touring as live guitarist and singer for the electronic dream pop band Blue Foundation.
Her songs have appeared on numerous TV shows and films including Perfect Stranger (Bruce Willis, Halle Berry), Private Practice and The Unit.
She lives in Brooklyn, NY and is working on her fourth album.
Personal life
Kitchell was born in Massachusetts. Growing up in Ashfield, Massachusetts, she attended the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School in the Williamsburg village of Haydenville, and continued her education at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School.[2]
She is the daughter of photographer / artist Peter Kitchell, and illustrator Gayle Kabaker and has a younger brother, Max Kitchell.[3] She and her father had a father/daughter photography exhibit at Gallery 137 featuring 15 large prints and 20 smaller prints.[4]
Discography
- Cold Day EP (Velour Recordings, 2005)
- Words Came Back to Me (Velour Recordings, 2006)
- This Storm (Decca Records, 2008)
- Convict of Conviction (429 Records, 2010)
- We Come Apart (Relativity Media, 2016)
References
- ↑ "Sonya Kitchell". Emusic. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ↑ "Sonya Kitchell's biography". The Rogovoy Report. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ↑ "Peter Kitchell's biography". Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ↑ Teen Vogue interview
External links
- Official Site
- Dye, David, "Sonya Kitchell's Precocious Debut: 'Cold Day'", National Public Radio radio, Originally aired October 18, 2005.
- Gallant, Doug, "Sonya Kitchell is a star on the rise", The Guardian, April 28, 2006.