Ariana Saraha ~ Mystical Gypsy Fusion...
BIO, RESUME, DISCOGRAPHY...
OFFICIAL BIO FOR RELEASE
Ariana Saraha - Mystical Songstress
"Celestial, soul-stirring, and sometimes sultry -- the perfect combination!"
At once earthy and ethereal, Ariana's lush voice and exquisite compositions
take the listener on a mystical and soulful journey. Most often compared
to Celtic singer Loreena McKennitt, Ariana is a spellbinding artist,
escorting audiences into realms untouched by the day-to-day. The exotic
fusion of sounds that inspire her music draw upon her gypsy roots, traditional
music of India and the Middle-East, and Celtic and Spanish flavorings.
Through her entrancing melodies, sultry grooves, and compelling lyricism,
Ariana becomes a siren for the soulfully seeking. She does so in the
most enchanting way, through the uncommon passion and lush purity of
her angelic voice.
"Ariana's performances
are prayerful and passionate, provocative and playful. Her beautiful
voice and rhythms weave sublime strands of the sacred into a kinesthetic
personal experience for the listener. Yum! Long live the gypsy heart." --
D.F., Boulder
(scroll down for discography, creative resume, etc...)
EXTENDED BIO
Born to a singer, in a lineage of singers, and having sung classical
and choral music her whole life, it may come as a surprise to learn that
Ariana didn't even know she was a "singer" until 1996, when a
song and a voice suddenly flew from her lips unannounced... She had been
seeking healing, her life's purpose, and mystical experience ~ in the moment
the song was freed, she found the answer to all three.
Immediately aware of her path. Ariana set herself to songwriting, composing over
100 songs in 10 years. Along the way, she was invited to join the stellar
Middle Eastern and Mediterranean band, Sherefe, which introduced
her to a whole world of exotic scales, rhythms, instrumentation, and vocal
stylings. This music touched a deep place in her soul, the gypsy blood of
her ancestry weaving its way through the musics of the Middle-East, and eventually
back to India...
Through years of dedication and exploration, Ariana has become a spellbinding artist,
bringing audiences to tears, abandon, and into the sweet silence. The soulful fusion
of sounds that inspire her music draw upon her gypsy roots, traditional
musics of India and the Middle-east, Celtic and Flamenco flavorings,
and even a bit of fiery rock sensibility. But her music is so inimitably "Ariana" that
it defies category. Through her entrancing melodies, sultry grooves, and compelling lyricism,
Ariana hopes to be of service in healing this beautiful, war-torn
earth. She does so in the most enchanting way, through the uncommon passion
and lush purity of her angelic voice.
"Yours is the beacon that guides souls to the warm
hearth of their home, and your song is the love that carries them there."
CREATIVE RESUME
- 2007-Current: Performing solo and with her luscious band
- 2004-7: Lead singer for Tribal Electra
- 2001-2: Angels of Alchemy debuts
- 1999-2002: Ariana sang with Sherefe, the Boulder-based middle-eastern and balkan band, along with such luminaries as James Hoskins (cello), Jesse Manno (drums, lutes, flutes...), and Meagan Chandler (vox).
- 1996-9: Ariana begins her career by writing over a hundred songs
- 1996: Ariana discovers her voice...
STUDIES
- 2005-Present: Studies of Classical Indian Music (raga)
- 2008-9: Vocal studies in the Estille technique
- 2005-6: Sanskrit Studies
- 1999-2003: Extensive studies of Arabic, Turkish, and Balkan music (songs, melody, vocal stylings, and rhythm)
- 1997: Graduates from CU Boulder with a Bachelors in Psychology
PERFORMANCE CREDITS
- Has played the Boulder Theater, Denver's Gothic and Oriental Theaters, Immersive Studios, Esalen Institute, Mishawaka Amphitheater, Planet Bluegrass, Vail's Ford Amphitheater...
- Has played throughout California (Joshua Tree, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Esalen, Berkeley, San Francisco, Sebastopol, Harbin Hotsprings, Mt Shasta...), as well as Colorado (Denver, Boulder, Ft Collins, Colorado Springs, Salida, Crestone, La Veta, Paonia...), New Mexico (Santa Fe), Arizona (Sedona), Oregon (Ashland, Eugene, Breitenbush, Corvallis), Idaho (Boise), and Utah (Salt Lake, Logan).
- Collaborates regularly with Beth Quist, Kailin Yong, and Lil Sum'n Sum'n
- Has played live improvisational music for dance for Melissa Michaels / Wild Life Productions LLC, Ecstatic Dance Live Oakland, Santa Barbara Dance Tribe, Sacred Dance Live Santa Monica, and others...
- Has sung with Lunar Fire, master flautist Manose, Dave Stringer, Momo Loudiyi, Bhagavan Das, Girish,...
- Opened for Tina Malia, Lunar Fire
- Shared the stage with Tzol from Kan'Nal
- Dreamtime Festival Mainstage, six years running
DISCOGRAPHY
- Ariana Saraha, "Live at Immersive Studios" - 2011. A six song live CD recorded in Boulder, Colorado.
- Tribal Electra, "Trance.Mantric.Groove" - 2008. 5 song EP, released by White Swan Records on iTunes
- Ariana Saraha, "Vocal Warmups" - 2008. A self-produced studio album of Classical Indian vocal practices.
- Ariana Saraha, "Sampler CD" - 2008. 108-print Limited Edition historical sampler of compositions from 2003-2008.
- Angels of Alchemy, "Chrysalis" - 2002/3. A 16 minute ceremonial music vignette, plus remix by Ariana. Available at angelsofalchemy.com
- Ariana Saraha, "Angel Songs" - 2001. Unreleased 5-song solo acoustic demo.