Johnson City, Tennessee, singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah has found passion and purpose through representation in folk and roots music for more than a decade. The Chattanooga born, self-described “proud Black Appalachian” has often used her poetic guitar- and banjo-heavy songs to explore identity and find understanding, whether embracing herself as a Black queer southern artist (“Black Myself”) or coming to grips with her mother’s death by suicide (“Wild Turkey”). Her music incorporates a broad mix of influences culled from country, blues, folk, and rock, and she embeds each song with pride and pain using her soul-stirring voice.
Kiah found her musical roots in church hymns, modern rock (she’s covered songs by Radiohead and Joy Division), and explorations of America’s musical heritage and its foundation in the work of Black creators. Those interests led her to enroll in East Tennessee State University, where she earned a degree in bluegrass, old-time, and country music studies, and made her 2013 debut album Dig in the school’s recording lab. Six years later, she captured national attention as a member of Our Native Daughters alongside fellow folk heavyweights Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell. The success of their 2019 debut album, Songs of Our Native Daughters, which explores Black women’s resistance and hope in the face of racism and sexism, earned Kiah her first Grammy nomination and led to her 2021 debut at the Grand Ole Opry.
Kiah’s latest album, October’s Still + Bright continues to push folk music forward. On the rock-and-bluegrass union, “I Will Not Go Down,” her finger-picking style and vocals find a perfect match in guest singer and guitarist Billy Strings, while her duet with Kentucky singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman, “Play God and Destroy the World,” puts a soulful sheen on alt-country. Folk fiddle and mandolin dominate “Space,” while the fuzzed out “Die Slowly Without Complaint,” featuring vocals from Pentatonix’s Avi Kaplan, bleeds southern gothic. Punk fans will note Rancid vocalist Tim Armstrong’s pipes on “People’s Prayer,” while Butch Walker duets with Kiah on gothic love song “Silk and Petals.” Walker, who’s best known for his work with Taylor Swift and Weezer, among other artists, also produced Still + Bright, and while he tapped into her fire and spirit, she remains the keeper of the flame—and her flame burns bright.
Amythyst Kiah Soultru opens. Mon 11/18, 7:30 PM, SPACE, 1245 Chicago, Evanston, $15–$48, all ages