Biography
She has been described as bold and humble, a little "out there" and down-to-earth. Perhaps that is why you find a paradox of sinner and saint mirrored in her blend of introspective yet demanding lyrics... and why people from many walks of life are able to identify with Angela Josephine.
When asked to describe her art and music, this quality (or quirk depending on who you are talking to) becomes apparent as Angela turns the question around.
“I think the point of art is the response, so I guess the best description for my music would be to ask,
‘What would you say?’”
And people do have things to say. Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms Magazine says, “With a voice that echoes Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and Laura Nyro but remains very much her own and songs intensely sung over her own punchy acoustic, Angela Josephine shows herself to be a poetic songwriter able to pen songs that get under the shield of the post modern muse with power and poignancy.”
While accolades are encouraging, Angela gets her drive from meeting people right where they are. That means paving a diverse road of appearances and playing to a variety of audiences. Coffee houses across the Midwest have warmed to the soulful brew of her music in an intimate setting, while large festivals have provided a stage. For Angela, it's the honest and candid rendition of the journey that leads to changed lives and gives authenticity to her music.
One fan poetically conveys this sentiment. “There’s a lyric in a Beatles song that reminds me of you, ‘the girl with kaleidoscope eyes.’ It’s not as though you don’t see all the broken dislocated pieces, it’s just that you filter them through your eyes of faith, or kaleidoscope eyes, and then your art becomes a reflection of your faith in ‘vibrant harmonies.’ The bad stuff is transformed because of your faith.”
Vibrancy is the pulse of Angela's performances. From guitar to piano, hammered to mountain dulcimer, Angela tells us stories of God. She blends her music, art and poetry to paint an intimate, spiritual self-portrait whereby you glimpse your own likeness. You’ll be comfortable or comfortably challenged with the imperfect depiction of yourself and the reminder of an approachable loving God who beckons you to belong to Him.
Angela’s current release, Grace Exhaled brings home the powerful message of being who we are created to be. One of the tracks, ‘Live and Breathe’, celebrates our reason for being with the words, “I was created to live and breathe and move and sing, praises to the One who ordained that it might be that I could live and breathe and move and sing, and I will praise my Creator.” The album is as finely crafted and unique as the people involved.
Angela explains, “The CD is not the live experience, but it’s not supposed to be. It should have the warm homey feel of Wade Jayne’s sweaters (bass guitar for Phil Keaggy), the whimsy of Shane Martin dancing in the studio (acoustic guitar for Rebecca St. James), the jazzy sass of Jamba’s funky hat (keys for Jaci Velasquez) and the smoky flavor of a Chris Omartian pipe (drums for Out of Eden). It’s all put together and spiced up by a crazy Italian chef, John Pisciotta (producer for Paradiso Music, Nashville, TN). Well, and then there’s me...”
And if you haven’t figured out just who Angela is yet, producer John Pisciotta can tell you this much.
"Angela is the kind of artist that pulls from multiple worlds; musical, visual, and poetic. In this way, she is comfortable being different, comfortable being who and what God is making her to be."
So what is the answer? Would she rather be thought of as ‘bold’ or ‘humble’, 'out there' or ‘down-to-earth’? When asked that question, Angela replies that she’d like to be thought of as being who she was created to BE.
Instrumentation
Angela Josephine - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Mandolin and Mountain and Hammered Dulcimers.
Discography
2005 GRACE EXHALED
Angela’s sophomore effort brings her artistry to the forefront, defining her sound in a unique and intelligent way with a thoughtful weaving of spoken poetry, original music and the title track showcasing Angela's latest instrument, the hammered dulcimer. Produced in Nashville by John Pisciotta of Paradiso Music.
2002 A RESTFUL SENSE OF URGENCY
Angela’s self-produced debut CD is a raw and intimate portrait that meshes her riveting vocals with upbeat guitar driven tunes, introspective ballads and her sometimes-edgy lyrics for an eclectic blend made complete by an insert that includes original poetry and art. Produced by Angela Josephine and Scott Zylstra at Frontier Recordings in Copemish, MI
Links
| Angela Josephine - Official Website |
| Angela Josephine - Reverb Nation |
| Angela Josephine - YouTube |
| Angela Josephine - Facebook |
| Angela Josephine on MySpace |