Amythyst Kiah

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Amythyst Kiah
Kiah performing at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival in 2022
Kiah performing at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival in 2022
Background information
Born (1986-12-11) December 11, 1986 (age 39)
Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Instruments
Years active2010–present
Labels
Websitewww.amythystkiah.com
File:Amythyst Kiah - Purbeck Valley Folk Festival 2022.jpg
Amythyst Kiah at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival on the Big Barn stage.

Amythyst Kiah (born 11 December 1986)[1] is an American singer-songwriter. Kiah is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee and currently lives in Johnson City. She plays guitar and banjo.

As of 2022, Kiah has released two solo albums and one EP.[2] She has also appeared (along with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell) on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters (2019). Kiah earned a 2020 Grammy Award Best American Roots Song nomination for her song "Black Myself".[3]

Life and career

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1986–2013: Early life

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Kiah was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. Her father (who is also her tour manager) sang and played percussion in a band in the 1970s. Her mother sang in the church growing up. She attended a creative arts high school and taught herself to play guitar. When she was 17, her mother died by suicide, and singing at her funeral was Kiah's third public performance.[4]

Kiah is a graduate of East Tennessee State University, where she completed the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program and joined the school's marquee old-time band.[4]

She has been touring since 2010 either solo, with a band she called 'Her Chest of Glass' or with her fellow 'Our Native Daughters'.[5]

2013 onwards: Recording artist

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Kiah describes her style as "Southern Gothic"'[6]

Kiah released her first album, Dig in 2013.[7] The album was produced by Kiah and recorded at East Tennessee State University Recording Lab.[8]

This was followed by an EP, Her Chest of Glass released on October 28, 2016. Kiah wrote three of the EP's five songs, which were recorded in Johnson City and produced by Kiah, band members and Travis Kammeyer.[7]

Wary + Strange was released on Rounder Records on 18 June 2021, produced by Tony Berg.[2][4] Kiah began work on the album in January 2018, and recorded the album three times, with three different producers before feeling happy with the sound. The album received favourable reviews with Glide magazine stating, "This album will be a centerpiece of conversation, not just this year, but in the years to come too"[9] and Rolling Stone including it in their list of "25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2021".[10] Her song "Wild Turkey" was named by Variety as one of the 50 Best Songs of 2021.[11]

In 2021, she was a featured vocalist on Moby's single "Natural Blues" (reprise Version).[citation needed]

File:Amythyst Kiah in 2015.jpg
Amythyst Kiah gives a performance in 2015.

On 14 January 2022, she released a cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart".[12]

Kiah has toured extensively, including throughout the US, Mexico and to the UK.[5]

Participation in Songs of Our Native Daughters

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Kiah has also appeared (along with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell) on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters (2019). Kiah earned a 2020 Grammy Award Best American Roots Song nomination for her song "Black Myself" which featured on this album.[3]

Personal life

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Kiah has described herself as "funny-talking, sci-fi-loving, queer Black".[13] She has stated that making music has helped her cope with anxiety around her identity, and that she sees it as a means of increasing the visibility of Black creators.[13] She currently lives in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Discography

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File:Amythyst Kiah at Carter Fold.jpg
Amythyst Kiah and fellow ETSU students play at the Carter Family Fold in December 2010.

Albums

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  • Dig (2013)[4]
  • Her Chest Of Glass (2017)
  • Wary + Strange (2021)[4]
  • Still + Bright (2024)

EPs

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  • Pensive Pop (2022)

Singles

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  • "Your Ghost" (2020) with Dave Hause and Kam Franklin
  • "Natural Blues" (2021) by Moby with Amythyst Kiah
  • "Black Myself" (2021) Moby Remix[14]
  • "Fancy Drones" (Fracture Me) [Live at Studio 615 / May 2021] (2021)
  • "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (2022)
  • "Wild Turkey" (Live) (2022)
  • "Flower (Find My Baby) - Resound NYC Version" (2023) by Moby with Amythyst Kiah
  • "In the Pines" (2024)
  • "Play God and Destroy the World" featuring S.G. Goodman (2024)
  • "I Will Not Go Down" featuring Billy Strings (2024)

References

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