Heather Styka

From http://heather.styka.com: Heather's unique delivery combines the influences of a fragile Irish air, the warm effervescence of upbeat Americana, soulful country and mournful blues. Her voice ensures these songs hit that place in your chest where emotions reside. -Tim Carroll, FolkWords (folkwords.com, UK) Stories are often lurking behind the lyrics of a song - sometimes obscurely so. But fine and direct storytelling... is a special art when it comes to songwriting. And it's that kind of artistic mastery that poet and folksinger Heather Styka displays. - Butch Kara, KZGM-FM (Cabool, MO)

Heather's unique delivery combines the influences of a fragile Irish air, the warm effervescence of upbeat Americana, soulful country and mournful blues. Her voice ensures these songs hit that place in your chest where emotions reside. -Tim Carroll, FolkWords (folkwords.com, UK)

Stories are often lurking behind the lyrics of a song - sometimes obscurely so. But fine and direct storytelling... is a special art when it comes to songwriting. And it's that kind of artistic mastery that poet and folksinger Heather Styka displays. - Butch Kara, KZGM-FM (Cabool, MO)

Heather knows the most beautiful and intriguing stories to convey.... [a] singer with the golden throat. - Johan Schoenmakers, AltCountry Forum (altcountryforum.nl, Netherlands)

...Inspiring...truly a breath of fresh air. - Henry Hallett, KXCI-FM (Tuscon, AZ)

A fine chronicler of the vast American prairies, and the people who live on them. - Tom May, River City Folk (nationwide)

Heather Styka's image-based lyrics are delivered by a voice possessing the versatility and purity of Eva Cassidy or Joni Mitchell, with a dash of Ella Fitzgerald-esque vibrato. Her songs carry a heartbreaking degree of truth, chronicling the human cycles of despair and redemption, and analyzing the importance of places, relationships, family, and community. Heather's 2011 release, Lifeboats for Atlantis, was the #3 album on the Folk DJ charts in October and #10 in November, with all 14 tracks having received airplay. Lifeboats for Atlantis received acclaim from critics and DJs alike and was mentioned on Rich Warren's list of favorite 2011 albums on the esteemed Midnight Special radio program. As "one of the more original of the many contemporary singer/songwriters touring the US" (Tom May - River City Folk), Heather Styka is one new voice not to be missed in today's ocean of music.

Styka has performed as part of the juried showcase at Folk Alliance Regional Midwest (FARM), and has been interviewed twice on Tom May's nationally syndicated program, "River City Folk." In 2009, she won the Big Top Chautauqua Songwriting Contest and had the chance to open for Suzanne Vega. A Chicago native, she has performed at renowned venues including as Schubas, The Old Town School of Folk Music, Martyrs, and the Double Door. Since graduating with a degree in creative writing in 2010, Styka has toured nationally, playing venues including NYC's Bitter End.

Heather Styka's Midwestern background, urban identity, and rural roots remain at the forefront of her songs. Also a poet published in a variety of respected journals, Styka appreciates a good story or a poetic image ? and it shows in lyrics that rely on metaphor, wordplay, and narrative. While Styka's songwriting has been likened to that of Leonard Cohen, Josh Ritter, and Damien Rice, her influences are as diverse as they are rooted, ranging from Celtic to classical, Townes Van Zandt to Django Reinhardt. The resulting compositions "capture moments, impressions, feelings, and thoughts in a way that connects with the listener, a lyrical wave that can carry one to shore with a solid conclusion, or go way out into the ocean, searching for an answer, insight, or direction" (Lilli Kuzma, WDCB).

Heather is currently touring with her new album, Lifeboats for Atlantis. Check her calendar for upcoming shows at http://heather.styka.com.