Sara Azriel

Providence based singer/songwriter Sara Azriel announces April 26 release for debut self-titled EP. "Sara Azriel" was mixed by Grammy-Award winning mix engineer James Wisner (Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberlake) and includes musical, writing and production contributions from Davy Nathan (Christina Aguilara, Toni Braxton), Andrew Moon Bain (Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer), Mike Feingold (Erykah Badu, John Legend), and Marc Friedman (The Slip, Natalie Merchant).

Sara Azriel is an eclectic songwriter whose music combines the universality of pop music with the intimacy of folk music. "The artists that had the most colossal effect on me growing up were Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley." Though not derivative, it is easy to see how these legends influence her artistry. Azriel displays an emotionalism in her vocal performance that is second to none.

Born and raised into a large musical family on the shores of Lake Michigan, Sara Azriel has criss-crossed the country pursuing her music. "I've always been a bit of a lone wolf. I've moved across the country three times by myself." she says. "The goal has always been the same: to find an inspiring place to plant my roots, and to create powerful music." That didn't always prove to be the easiest task. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Azriel moved to Los Angeles with big dreams and hopes, but found herself paralyzed with writer's block and depression that lasted most of the seven years she resided there. "It's hard to describe how terrifying it is to lose the one thing that brings joy and meaning to your life." says Azriel. Luckily, she saw the light at the end of the tunnel, which eventually led her to back to the east coast, determined to make her first album. Over the course of three years, she worked with several producers, experimenting in the studio and refining her sound. After a move to Providence, Rhode Island in 2012, the album finally started to take shape with the relentless encouragement and help from a few new friends/colleagues. "Finishing this EP has been a triumph." says Azriel. "It's made out of my guts-- my blood, my bones, and my earnest heart. It's made out of joy and sadness, eternal optimism, and a commitment to emotional honesty."

"Sara is an angel, an exception to therule, with a voice that can raise the most hardened soul to exalt, becauseit conveys all that she is, and feels good to all of us." -- Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers)