Artist description Gritty granola chic--Rock'n'roll angst expressed with earthy sensitivity and a piano

Music Style Acoustic Pop

Musical Influences Folk, pop, rock, alternative

Similar Artists Jonatha Brooke, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, Tori Amos, Sara McLaughlin

Artist History Guided by a compass of seemingly magnetic emotion, songwriter/artist Aruna travels a deeply personal path of art and music marked by impeccable songcraft, a burnished voice and an accomplished musicality. It's been a circuitous route to this center. Born in Flemington, New Jersey -- a concrete geography distinguished mostly by imposing outlet malls -- Aruna channeled her emerging sensitivity into music. She began writing songs at age 9; by thirteen, she was traveling to New York City to attend music education events. Her initial aspiration was to be a session musician. Under the training of her mentor, David Rosenthal, also an accomplished studio ace, she practiced the music of Chopin, Debussy and Thelonious Monk for up to ten hours a day. As a high school freshman her sense of alienation revealed itself through immersion into dark, heavy music: Obituary, Sepultura, Napalm Death, "Monster stuff," she laughs. The day after her high school graduation she departed for Boston to enroll in the Berklee College of Music. When she was moved by hearing a record from the band Cynic, an international touring act based in Florida, she sent them a letter expressing interest in joining them in the studio. Surprisingly, three weeks later they replied: within months Aruna had moved to Miami to collaborate on the group's next record. When Cynic imploded in a shower of record company detritus, Aruna interned with Miami-based hit songwriter Desmond Child; improbably, she also gigged at Howl at the Moon, a watering hole that featured a format of dueling pianists performing scabrous ditties for a rowdy, alcohol-fueled audience of up to 400 patrons nightly. Eventually, Aruna made her way back to Boston and Berklee. Then, in 2000, Capitol Records put out the call for local acts to support the Girl's Room Tour and she was selected to open the Boston shows. Press, reviews and major label contacts followed. She recorded an impressive three-song CD with Alain Mallet, noted for his work with Jonatha Brooke. But Boston offered scant opportunity for her emerging solo artistry and introspective songs. After weighing the options of other music capitals, Aruna opted for the sunniest: Los Angeles. One week after arrival she performed at an open mic at the venerable acoustic venue, Highland Grounds. Within weeks she performed a showcase at the club. "After a month in L.A. I was drawing more people than I ever did in Boston," she notes. Her current career trajectory dictates both an east and west coast presence. Aruna was recently a featured performer at the 2002 Global Entertainment and Media Summit in New York City. She was also invited to perform at the world-famous Bitter End in Greenwich Village for BMI's celebrated Songwriter's Circle. As a result of her Manhattan odyssey she piqued further interest from industry insiders including record and publishing execs and Grammy-award winning producers. Her profile was further enhanced as she was selected by Taxi, the independent A&R vehicle, as their spotlight songwriter for the month of March 2002. Meanwhile, back in California, the warmer climes of the left coast offer a welcome platform for songwriting. "It's been easier to write uptempo songs here," Aruna explains. Still, there's no mistaking the impassioned emotional content of her songs. "Most of my lyrics are socio-political, reflecting human conditions," she explains. "So many people are suffering so profoundly and they've trying so desperately to mask that. In our society, everyone wants to sell you things to mask yourself. My thing is to confront it, accept it, transcend it -- and learn something."

Group Members Vocals--Aruna::::Piano--Aruna::::Keyboards and Programming--Alain Mallet::::All guitars on "Let Me Know"--Gerry Leonard::::All guitars on "Hallowed Ground"--Duke Levine::::Acoustic and electric guitars on "Broken Circles"--Duke Levine::::Additional electric guitars on "Broken Circles"--Gerry Leonard::::Bass--Mike Rivard::::Drums--Ben Wittman::::Mixed by--Kevin Killen::::Produced by--Alain Mallet o

Press Reviews "I work with many talented artists at Capitol Records and Aruna is right up there with the best of them. I would be proud to work with an artist like her. Simply wonderful." DEE DEE KEARNEY, CAPITOL RECORDS "...powerfully tempting vocal prowess..." METRO NOME MAGAZINE (April 1999) "mesmerizing...compelling ...a hypnotic sound with a trained voice and just enough edge to leave us wanting more"...MUSICIAN1S TRADE JOURNAL (April 1999) "...if you hear this girl you1d wonder why her name isn't up in lights already..." SOUNDCHECK MAGAZINE (September 1999) {

Location Los Angeles, CA - USA

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