Fall is the season when new recording projects galore are released to the public. Singer, songwriter and Renaissance Woman Simrit does not disappoint her fans releasing her latest album, Songs of Resilience, on her own label. Songs of Resilience draws on the harmonic beauty of the Greek Orthodox chants she grew up with, adding the pulse and melodic sensibilities of West Africa traditions she studied intensely, Simrit and her ensemble tease out distinct facets of devotional poetry and intimate ardors of the spirit. With each new project, Simrit continues on her artistic journey, firmly leaving her personal imprint on a musical lineage that has been passed down to her through several generations. If you are a fan of world music, you definitely will want to pick up Songs of Resiliance.
As an orphan from the moment she was born in Greece, Simrit was the heir of a very distinct sound that she genetically inherited from a lineage of beloved Greek women singers going all the way from her mother (who was too young to take care of her) through her great grandmother. As a toddler, she was adopted by another Greek American family and she was raised in a rich Greek culture in South Carolina. Her adopted parents kept her and her brother in music lessons from a very early age. Simrit grew up singing and playing music and sang in the Greek Orthodox Church Choir. “So I was steeped in that ancient and mystical byzantine hymns of the Orthodox church. I love that music so much – it has influenced my style,” says Simrit. Over the years Simrit has studied many traditions of music for vocals and percussion, including Middle Eastern, Indian, Western, and African. Some of her influences include Nana Mouskough, Singh Kaur, Led Zeppelin, Mazzy Star, The Grateful Dead, Bob Marley, Jeff Buckley, and others.
Fans have described Simrit’s music as haunting and hypnotic, majestic and healing. Fans include 80s and 90s icon, Brenda Carlisle. “The first time I saw her live I thought – wow, she’s kind of punk rock. Her sense of melody is different from a lot of the other chant artists and her energy and musicality set her apart. Simrit, to me, is the voice of this new day and age.” The two have performed together on stage and collaborated on each other’s albums. They are planning a joint tour in the future.
The Songs of Resilience can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon. The Songs of Resilience Global Unity is traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Simrit and her music, visit www.simritkaurmusic.com.
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