Amythyst Kiah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amythyst Kiah
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Kiah performing at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival in 2022
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| Born | December 11, 1986 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2010–present |
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Amythyst Kiah (born December 11, 1986) is an American singer and songwriter. She was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and now lives in Johnson City, Tennessee. Amythyst plays both the guitar and the banjo.
As of 2022, Amythyst Kiah has released two solo albums and one EP (which is like a mini-album). She also worked with other artists like Rhiannon Giddens and Allison Russell on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters in 2019. Amythyst was even nominated for a Grammy Award in 2020 for her song "Black Myself."
Contents
About Amythyst Kiah
Early Life and Music
Amythyst Kiah was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her father used to sing and play drums in a band in the 1970s. Her mother also sang in church when she was growing up. Amythyst went to a high school that focused on creative arts. She taught herself how to play the guitar.
Amythyst went to East Tennessee State University. There, she studied Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music. She even joined the school's main old-time band.
Since 2010, she has been performing live. Sometimes she performs by herself, and other times she plays with her band, 'Her Chest of Glass'. She also tours with her fellow musicians from 'Our Native Daughters'.
Her Music Career
Amythyst Kiah calls her music style "Southern Gothic." This means it often has a unique, sometimes dark, and soulful sound inspired by the American South.
Her first album, Dig, came out in 2013. Amythyst produced this album herself. She recorded it at the East Tennessee State University Recording Lab.
After that, she released an EP called Her Chest of Glass on October 28, 2016. Amythyst wrote three of the five songs on this EP.
Her album Wary + Strange was released on June 18, 2021. This album got great reviews! Glide magazine said it would be an important album for years to come. Rolling Stone magazine even put it on their list of the "25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2021." Her song "Wild Turkey" was also named one of the 50 Best Songs of 2021 by Variety magazine.
In 2021, she sang on a song called "Natural Blues" with the artist Moby. In 2022, she released her own version of the song "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by the band Joy Division.
Amythyst Kiah has traveled a lot to perform her music. She has toured all over the United States, in Mexico, and in the United Kingdom.
Songs of Our Native Daughters
Amythyst Kiah was part of a special music project called Songs of Our Native Daughters. She joined with other talented musicians like Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell. This album came out in 2019.
From this album, Amythyst's song "Black Myself" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2020. This was a big achievement for her!
Her Personal Life
Amythyst Kiah is a unique artist who loves science fiction. She has shared that making music helps her deal with feelings about her identity. She believes her music helps more people see and appreciate Black artists and creators. She lives in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Discography
Albums
- Dig (2013)
- Her Chest Of Glass (2017)
- Wary + Strange (2021)
- Still + Bright (2024)
EPs
- Pensive Pop (2022)
Singles
- "Your Ghost" (2020) with Dave Hause and Kam Franklin
- "Natural Blues" (2021) by Moby with Amythyst Kiah
- "Black Myself" (2021) Moby Remix
- "Fancy Drones" (Fracture Me) [Live at Studio 615 / May 2021] (2021)
- "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (2022)
- "Wild Turkey" (Live) (2022)
- "In the Pines" (2024)
- "Play God and Destroy the World" featuring S.G. Goodman (2024)
- "I Will Not Go Down" featuring Billy Strings (2024)
