I wanted to take a moment and highlight one of my favorite Musicians. Hope she doesn't mind...
Go visit her site and like her on her facebook, reverbnation, youtube, etc...!
Bio
Endorsements
“Kyra is the real deal; authentic, complex and simple. Her music is pure, her lyrics are thought provoking. If you’re the kind of listener who likes to check your brain at the door, find another artist. This chick brings a Joni Mitchell flavor to her diverse lyrical landscape. Prepare to be amazed.” – Anita Renfroe, Comedian and Writer
“If I was a record label, I’d sign her today.” -Greg Long of Avalon
Fact Sheet
- Opened for conference speakers Georgian Banov, Steve Thompson and Bobby Connor.
- Recorded with gospel-reggae artist Eddie Neblett, Rick Collins of hip-hop duo Go2, Todd Oats of the Waiting, Judah Roberston, John Elliott, and John Mohr and recorded a demo with Universal Music Publishing Group in Nashville.
-Won 1st place in songwriting at the Babbie Mason Music conference in 2005 and 3rd place in 2004, won the online battle of the bands at ChristianRocker.com in 2011 to open Illumination Festival in Northern California and won a gospel talent competition in 2011 at United Nations Church in Forest Park, Georgia.
-Has performed in Alabama, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Vermont and Canada, England and Costa Rica. Venues include Fort Benning Military Base, Centennial Park in Atlanta, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in TX, Youth festivals in British Columbia, Georgia and Tennessee, The Georgia State Fair, Candler Park in Atlanta, the APEX museum in Atlanta, and all kinds of churches, congregations, festivals, conferences, parties, weddings, house concerts, coffeeshops, malls, stores, restaurants, museums, parks, and prayer meetings (See Events)
- Judged North Dekalb Mall Idol 4 different times
When people ask musician Kyra Goldman, “What is your style?” she answers, “Gospel folk.” If she says “Christian music,” people have a preconceived notion of what that is, but her sound is influenced by all styles of music, especially Caribbean, Middle Eastern, East African, Celtic, folk, blues and jazz. See this unique solo musician, often compared to folk artists like Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon this weekend at Red Bluff’s Illumination Festival and during Redding’s Second Saturday ArtHop.
Do you remember the moment that you felt ready to perform for more than friends and family?
Well, as a child I did ballet and band and chorus and drama, so as long as I can remember I’ve been performing and I’ve always enjoyed it. I wrote my first song on guitar when I was 14. I think my first public performance of a song I wrote on guitar was for a youth retreat. But I was playing my songs regularly at coffee shops and events when I graduated high school.
Tell me about the song that took first place in the Babbie Mason songwriting competition.
Usually the judges for songwriting competitions are career songwriters, so it is certainly encouraging to have someone who is out there making a living as a songwriter and performer acknowledging that you have a talent that they believe will also do well. I consider winning a prize for songwriting an honor and a very good way to open the door to building relationships with new people in the music field. The song that took first at the Babbie Mason Music Conference was called “Jericho,” and it was basically about how even in the New Testament scriptures, the believers didn’t always agree on different points. But disagreement is no cause for separation. The premise of the song was that we should let the walls of separation between race or culture or denominational differences come tumbling down.
What are your favorite and least favorite things about recording?
I love recording. I love working with different kinds of artists and musicians. I love the sound of a good vocal microphone. My least favorite thing is the cost. It can be expensive, unless you have a lot of production talent and good equipment.
How far into your new album are you?
At first I was planning on recording a full album, but I had the funds to do just a demo. Because everything is so quick and digital now, I may continue to release a song at a time until I have enough resources to spend time focused on more recording.
Tell me more about the Bethel Music Group.
Bethel Music Group was the idea of Jon Mohr while he was on staff there. They released an album on iTunes and Amazon called “Here in America,” and it featured different artists, including some favorites like Kim Walker. My song, “Psalm 116,” was on that album.
Tell us a bit about the upcoming Illumination Festival.
There was an online battle of the bands at www.findjesusfreaks.com and I was blessed to have a lot of support in the voting. I won the opportunity to open the festival on the main stage. I think I’ll be the only unsigned act on the main stage. I hear it is Northern California’s biggest Christian music festival and there are going to be a lot of youth there and well-known Christian artists like Jars of Clay and Phil Joel.
What can audiences expect from your performance there?
I’m just a gal with a guitar doing the singer/songwriter thing. My songs all come out of my relationship with God and my desire to know Him. I think many people can identify with my thoughts on this life journey with God.
