Amythyst Kiah’s New Album Still + Bright Explores the Struggle and Joy of True Self Discovery
While her 2021 Wary + Strange details her grief, anger, and abandonment, Still + Bright is her liberation from the events of her earlier life, examining the vast expanse of her inner world, passions, self-exploration and realization, with a darkly cinematic twist.
The project – which Rolling Stone hailed is “poised to be a major moment for the east Tennessee-raised singer-songwriter” – expands upon the wild definitions of Americana music. From gothic love songs with haunting vocals (“Silk and Petals feat. Butch Walker”) to a furiously stomping fantasy-inspired folk epic (“I Will Not Go Down” feat.Billy Strings“), or an ode to meditation laced with lush mandolin lines and lovely fiddle melodies (“S P A C E”), the album affirms her as an artist of both daring originality and uncompromising depth. The album is a collision of her love of indie rock, garage guitars and symphonic metal, flawlessly melded with the visceral lyricism and songwriting she’s renowned for in the roots community.
Listen to Still + Bright here
Kiah has also released the video for “Empire of Love”, chronicling her journey as a spiritual seeker.
Directed by Curtis Wayne Millard, Kiah visits a mountain, a cathedral, a Baptist church, a Buddhist temple and a mosque. Inspired by her ever-deepening connection to the Appalachian landscape – and by her interest in Western humanities and Eastern religions – “Empire of Love” finds Kiah constructing her own belief system firmly rooted in compassion and curiosity, gorgeously wrought in brooding guitar riffs and fiercely delivered poetry.
The project – which features collaborations with S.G. Goodman, Billy Strings and Avi Kaplan (Pentatonix) – also marks a complete transformation in Kiah’s songwriting process: her first time opening up her approach and working with co-writers on an album.
The album features co-writes with punk legend Tim Armstrong, Sadler Vaden (guitarist/vocalist for Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit) and Sean McConnell (Brittney Spencer, Bethany Cosentino).
