Sonya Kitchell
Encyclopedia
Sonya D. Kitchell is an American
singer-songwriter
. Sonya 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 Internationally selling Record: “Words Came Back to Me
” on Velour Records, touring globally to Japan, Europe and across the US many times in support of the album.
Sonya has appeared on numerous late night TV shows including Late Night with David Letterman
, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
, CNN
, CBS
and garnered rave reviews from the LA Times, Boston Globe, NY Times & NPR
; gracing venues such as Carnegie Hall
& 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
record titled, “River: The Joni Letters
”. Herbie Hancock
invited Sonya to join him on tour to sing in his band, in support of the record for the following year. Giving her the chance to work alongside such greats as Wayne Shorter
, Joni Mitchell
, Milton Nascimento
, Chaka Khan
, Quincy Jones
, and many more.
Shortly after her year spent touring with Herbie Hancock
, Sonya released her sophomore album, "This Storm
" on Decca Records
produced by Malcolm Burn
(Daniel Lanois
, Peter Gabriel
, Emmylou Harris
) 2008) in collaboration with renowned rock band, The Slip
, to much critical acclaim.
In 2009, Sonya joined forces with long-time friend and collaborator Garth Stevenson and together they created a collection of string quartet based music, releasing “Convict of Conviction” in 2010 with producer Stewart Lerman
(Antony and the Johnsons
, David Byrne
). Sonya Kitchell & The Brooklyn Strings were born and Sonya spent the next year performing with a string quartet ensemble exploring a more dramatic, cinematic side to her music.
Her songs have appeared on numerous TV shows and films including "Perfect Stranger
" (Bruce Willis
, Halle Berry
), "Private Practice
" and "The Unit
."
She currently lives in Brooklyn
NY and is working on her fourth album
. 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
.
She is the daughter of artist Peter Kitchell, and has a younger brother Max Kitchell,. She and her father had a father/daughter photography exhibit at Gallery 137 featuring 15 large prints and 20 smaller prints.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. Sonya Kitchell
Sonya Kitchell
Sonya D. Kitchell is an American singer-songwriter. Sonya Kitchell formed her first band and began writing music in 2001...
formed her first band and began writing music in 2001. In 2004 Sonya signed with Velour Records and was named the second Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
Hear Music
Hear Music
Hear Music, also known as StarCon is the brand name of Starbucks' retail music concept and record label. Hear Music began as a catalog company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1990 before being purchased by Starbucks in 1999.-Concept:...
Artist, releasing her first Internationally selling Record: “Words Came Back to Me
Words Came Back to Me
Words Came Back To Me is the full-length debut album of Sonya Kitchell. It was released in April 4, 2006 on Velour Recordings. It was sold not only in music shops but also in coffee shops...
” on Velour Records, touring globally to Japan, Europe and across the US many times in support of the album.
Sonya has appeared on numerous late night TV shows including Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and garnered rave reviews from the LA Times, Boston Globe, NY Times & NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
; gracing venues such as Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
& The Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
amongst numerous notable stages around the world.
In 2007 she joined forces with Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
singing on his Grammy winning Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
record titled, “River: The Joni Letters
River: The Joni Letters
River: The Joni Letters is the 2007 album by Herbie Hancock. His 47th studio album, it was released on September 25, 2007 by Verve Records. The tribute album is a homage to Joni Mitchell, a longtime associate and friend of Hancock...
”. Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
invited Sonya to join him on tour to sing in his band, in support of the record for the following year. Giving her the chance to work alongside such greats as Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, Milton Nascimento
Milton Nascimento
-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, and many more.
Shortly after her year spent touring with Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Sonya released her sophomore album, "This Storm
This Storm
This Storm is the second full length album by Sonya Kitchell.Track Listing1 "For Every Drop"2 "Borderline"3 "Running"4 "Here To There"5 "Walk Away"6 "Fire"7 "Soldier's Lament"8 "Robin In The Snow"9 "Who Knows After All"10 "Effortless"...
" on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
produced by Malcolm Burn
Malcolm Burn
Malcolm Burn is a Canadian-born music producer, recording engineer and musician. In 2001, he won a Grammy Award with Jim Watts and Emmylou Harris for his work on Harris's Red Dirt Girl. -Biography:...
(Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has released a number of albums of his own work and has produced albums for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
) 2008) in collaboration with renowned rock band, The Slip
The Slip
The Slip is a contemporary avant-rock trio from Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The band consists of brothers Brad Barr and Andrew Barr , and Marc Friedman . The three also play with singer-songwriter Nathan Moore in a side project called Surprise Me Mr...
, to much critical acclaim.
In 2009, Sonya joined forces with long-time friend and collaborator Garth Stevenson and together they created a collection of string quartet based music, releasing “Convict of Conviction” in 2010 with producer Stewart Lerman
Stewart Lerman
Stewart Lerman is a Bronx born, New York-based music producer, recording engineer, who has worked with The Roches, Antony and the Johnsons, Jules Shear, Marshall Crenshaw, Crash Test Dummies, Nellie McKay, Loudon Wainwright, Black 47, David Johanson, David Byrne, Willie Nile, Soulive, Darden Smith,...
(Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons is a music group presenting the work of Antony Hegarty and his collaborators.-Career:British experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label. The debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released...
, David Byrne
David Byrne
David Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
). Sonya Kitchell & The Brooklyn Strings were born and Sonya spent the next year performing with a string quartet ensemble exploring a more dramatic, cinematic side to her music.
Her songs have appeared on numerous TV shows and films including "Perfect Stranger
Perfect Stranger
Perfect Stranger may refer to:* The Perfect Stranger, an autobiography by P. J. Kavanagh* Perfect Stranger , a 2007 suspense film* The Perfect Stranger , a 2005 Christian film...
" (Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
, Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
), "Private Practice
Private Practice
Private Practice is an American medical drama television program which premiered on September 26, 2007 on ABC. A spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, the series takes place at Oceanside Health & Wellness Group and chronicles the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery, played by Kate Walsh, as she leaves Seattle...
" and "The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
."
She currently lives in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
NY and is working on her fourth album
Personal life
Kitchell was born in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Growing up in Ashfield, Massachusetts
Ashfield, Massachusetts
Ashfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,737 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, she attended the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School in the Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Massachusetts
Williamsburg is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-The Mill River Flood:...
village of Haydenville, and continued her education at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, or PVPA, is a public charter school in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Founded in 1996 as part of the Massachusetts Educational Reform, PVPA was originally located in Hadley, Massachusetts, but relocated to South Hadley for its tenth year in 2005...
.
She is the daughter of artist Peter Kitchell, and has a younger brother Max Kitchell,. She and her father had a father/daughter photography exhibit at Gallery 137 featuring 15 large prints and 20 smaller prints.
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 GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, April 28, 2006.