Listen to the new single!
Karyn Ann
Portland-based singer-songwriter Karyn Ann has been charming audiences across the US with her powerful vocals and emotive lyricism for nearly a decade. A geologist-turned-musician and seasoned road warrior, Karyn Ann is a hidden gem within the Pacific Northwest indie-folk and soul scenes.
Karyn’s thirst for songwriting blossomed from an early age, giving her compelling voice a chance to shine through her quiet persona. “Music has always been the one constant in my life…even during my time as a geologist, I always came back to it. One could say – music makes up the core of my being.”
Since her releases Into the Depths (2015) and Be Loud (2018), Karyn has built up her presence throughout the West Coast, gaining comparisons to Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin and Carole King. In Portland she has shared shows with artists such as Haley Johnson, Pretty Gritty and Fox and Bones in coveted venues such as The Old Church, Mission Theater, and Jack London Review. Her vocals have been described as “melodic and pure” and “spellbinding” by Vortex Music Magazine, and “a classic voice for our modern era” by The Crush. In 2017 she performed at the Women’s Redrock Music Festival (alongside Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls), and most recently was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Grassy Hill Emerging Artist showcase and a runner-up in the Red Lodge Songwriters Contest.
2020 has also been a year of single releases (despite the pandemics best efforts) for Karyn Ann, showcasing her talent for songwriting across a variety of genres. Her latest single “Probably” is a funky pop-rock tune a la Adele meets Amy Winehouse. Go take a listen now.
Video
6.6.2019 / 88.8 Film and Photography / “Settle the Dust”
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Tour schedule
Press
“And despite the harrowing year, Karyn has had a decent 2020 so far, landing in the finalist position of both the Grassy Hill Emerging Artist showcase and the 2020 Red Lodge Songwriters Contest. This new single, which American Songwriter is proud to premiere today, follows in the footsteps of the singer’s recent tune “Don’t Practice Law.” Karyn’s on a quest to find her own plot of land in the middle ground between Americana and American soul–not just sonically but in the pure honesty of her lyrics.”
- American Songwriter (October 22, 2020)
“In a time where many of us are sitting and wondering what is going to happen next, there’s lots of time for self-reflection. Karyn Ann highlights this state of mind in her latest single “Who You Were.”
The Portland native who also happens to have a degree in Geology, has always had a passion for charming audiences with her powerful vocals that have been compared to Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin and Carole King.
- American Songwriter (April 21, 2020)
"This pretty lady from across the Atlantic takes us into a pop-rock blues-tinged universe with powerful choruses and catchy melodies, all bursting with energy. Reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse, every song on this album is refreshingly good."
— Music for your Heart (Aug 15, 2018)
"Everything, from her vocal performance, to the mixing and production, to the songwriting itself, lends itself to a time passed, labeling Ann a classic voice for our modern era. “Same Old Thing” opens with a swanky southern riff, painting a picture of a late night at a 60s bar, before booming into a brass chorus.”
— Brendan Swogger, The Crush (July 25, 2018)
“Karyn Ann invites the listener to slow down and reflect. In an almost meditative three minutes, you’ll find yourself in a dreamlike state akin to that brought on by songs like Joni Mitchell’s ‘River.’ Colin Hogan (of The Colin Trio) on melodica creates a kind of enchantment so strong you might miss the melancholy of the lyrics on first listen.”
