Grammy Nominee, Xyra occasionally goes it alone. Mostly, however, you will find her amid a backdrop of lavish instrumentation, surrounded by a warm circle of talented, artist-friends.
While comparisons to Nico, Lisa Gerrard, Patti Smith, Annie Lennox and Marlene Dietrich may loom, an NPR announcer who became her manager once said, "Xyra's unique vocal phrasing and melodies, intriguing lyrical content and poignant delivery carve a niche of their own."
The CD offerings on this page mark a journey that began in childhood.
After moving to the United States from Germany, Xyra began music and piano lessons at age five and voice at eight, performing before her teens. Although her mother wanted her to sing opera - at age 14, she surprised Xyra with an electric guitar. Soon thereafter, Xyra joined her first band at age 15, playing original music.
During college, she wrestled with the validity singing seriously. To get her out of her musical closet, a friend recommended Charles Williams - Director of Music Theater at The Levine School of Music in Washington, DC. Charles helped Xyra redirect her focus and thus rediscover her musical prowess, some may say.
On meeting renowned Mezzo-Soprano, Medea Namoradze at a DC "Metrognomes" party, Xyra began another phase. Medea wasn't taking any more students, but invited Xyra for an audition. She accepted Xyra immediately, and began coaching her through what was perhaps Xyra's most productive period.
Neither teacher wanted to reel Xyra back into the fold of conventional music. Each had the vision she had ~ for Xyra to emerge as a better version of herself ~ writing, performing and recording her own brand of music. Mark Jenkins coined the phrase on PRI ~ Xyra became an emerging "Goth-Art-Rock" chanteuse.
There is more to come, as Xyra and friends work toward making a 20-song CD later this year.
