Genre-bending singer and songwriter Kela Parker has been noted for her sharp musicianship and imaginative artistry. Like her chords that always find an unexpected resolution, Kela followed her own path to arrive at her distinct sound.
Originally from the East Bay, Kela began crafting her enigmatic blend of art and pop music in Portland, Oregon. Alongside giving music lessons in her studio shed on Salmon Street, Kela got her start playing historic Portland venues such as the Old Church and Rimsky’s Korsakoffee House. After opening for Madeleine Peyroux at the Aladdin Theatre, she has since played across the United States, from Seattle’s Royal Room to the Viper Room in Los Angeles to New York’s Rockwood Music Hall. She completed her Masters in Music Composition at Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2016.
Kela has released three albums, including 2018’s ‘The Dreamer & The Dream,’ produced by Grammy-winning engineer Rocky Gallo (Norah Jones, John Legend). Hailed by BuzzMusicLA as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer with a “prepossessing voice,” the album of fourteen original songs is intoxicating from beginning to end. Now living in Los Angeles, Kela is a Teaching Artist with Urban Voices Project, a nonprofit that provides music programming for people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row. For 2020 Kela is releasing one song a month to roll out her fourth album; follow Kela on Spotify, Instagram, or join the mailing list to hear the next song!