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(Shortened 200 and 75 word bios below.)
Chicago songwriter Heather Styka is not afraid to go where others fear to tread — and to get a little messy on the way. Beneath “sweet, soulful vocals” (Portland Press Herald) and “nimble fingerpicked guitar” (Dispatch Magazine) lie narratives of vulnerability, strength, and wanderlust, drawn from her extensive touring. Styka’s image-heavy lyrics brim with sincerity and heartbreak, but she veers towards an unexpected edge, more interested in questions than answers. Half road-weary, half persistently optimistic, these are the sort of songs that take you on a journey and haunt you all the way home.
Styka started writing and performing as teenager in the Chicago suburbs. Honing her craft among Chicago’s long-standing folk community, she hit the road after graduating with a degree in creative writing. At the age of 28, Styka has performed for over a decade, released four full-length albums, and toured from coast to coast. Her 2011 release Lifeboats for Atlantis brought her to national attention, hitting #3 on the FOLK-DJ charts. In addition to being a 2015 New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Styka received first place in the Big Top Chautauqua Songwriting Competition (2009) and second place in the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest (2012). She’s performed at the Folk Alliance International (FAI) and Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) conferences as an official showcase artist.
While living in Portland, Maine, Heather Styka released While This Planet Spins Beneath Our Feet. Recorded in the Adirondacks with Beehive Productions and printed by Styka on a 1901 letterpress in Maine, this 2014 release charted for four months on FOLK-DJ. Songs like “Love in the Multiverse” and “Caspian Sea” reveal Styka’s intellectual curiosity — and her passion for philosophy, history, and theoretical physics — while the earnest and catchy pop sensibilities of “Careful With My Heart” caught the ears of a number of peers who now cover that song, including Joe Jencks (Brother Sun) and Scott Cook.
Styka’s latest album, The Bittersweet Tapes (2016), “tugs the ear on first listen and greets you like an old friend on subsequent visits” (Simon Rigby, Indie Music Portal). These gut-punch pretty songs nod to traditional folk, classic country, and even garage rock, carried by Styka’s emotive vocals. Recorded in Tulsa, Oklahoma on an old four track recorder with sparse, ethereal production by John Calvin Abney (John Moreland, Samantha Crain), The Bittersweet Tapes retains an unfiltered immediacy. “In this raw and intimate portrait of life, disguised as a collection of songs, Heather Styka has truly created a masterpiece… A writer with this kind of vision and ability doesn’t come along very often” (Chris Darby, Independent Melody).
With training both as a poet and an actor, Heather Styka is equal parts wordsmith and entertainer. Colored by a quirky sense of humor and peppered with confessional storytelling, Styka’s live shows are intimate and candid as late night conversation. Styka is currently writing a new album and collaborating on multiple upcoming projects. There’s no telling where this young troubadour is headed next, but if Heather Styka’s songs are any indication, she’ll be getting there with fierce and fearless honesty.
Shorter:
Chicago songwriter Heather Styka is not afraid to go where others fear to tread — and to get a little messy on the way. Beneath “sweet, soulful vocals” (Portland Press Herald) and “nimble fingerpicked guitar” (Dispatch Magazine) lie narratives of vulnerability, strength, and wanderlust, drawn from her extensive touring. These are the sort of songs that take you on a journey and haunt you all the way home.Styka started writing and performing as a teenager, honing her craft among Chicago’s folk community. At the age of 28, Heather Styka has performed for over a decade, released four full-length albums, and toured from coast to coast. She was a 2015 New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival, and has performed at the Folk Alliance International and FARM conferences as an official showcase artist.
Heather Styka’s 2011 release Lifeboats for Atlantis hit #3 on the FOLK-DJ charts. After moving to Maine for two years, Styka released While This Planet Spins Beneath Our Feet (2014), which charted for four months on FOLK-DJ.
Styka’s latest release The Bittersweet Tapes (2016) was recorded in Tulsa, Oklahoma on a four track recorder with sparse, ethereal production. “In this raw and intimate portrait of life, disguised as a collection of songs, Heather Styka has truly created a masterpiece” (Chris Darby, Independent Melody).
Shortest:
Chicago songwriter Heather Styka is not afraid to go where others fear to tread. Beneath “sweet, soulful vocals” (Portland Press Herald) and “nimble fingerpicked guitar” (Dispatch Magazine) lie narratives of vulnerability, strength, and wanderlust. A Kerrville New Folk Finalist and award-winning writer with a #3 album on the FOLK-DJ charts, this young troubadour has performed for over a decade, released four full-length albums, and toured from coast to coast.
Press Quotes
“Intricate finger picking, perfect melodies, and heartbreakingly beautiful lyrics… The Bittersweet Tapes is a collection of 12 songs recorded on an old four track recorder, a method that allows her to convey a more raw and intimate feeling than previous releases… In this raw and intimate portrait of life, disguised as a collection of songs, Heather Styka has truly created a masterpiece… A writer with this kind of vision and ability doesn’t come along very often and it’s an honor to have her among us for this brief and fleeting moment in time.”
- Independent Melody, Chris Darby
"With a compelling mix of storytelling and scene setting, Heather Styka takes the listener with her on every note… [The Bittersweet Tapes] tugs the ear on first listen and greets you like an old friend on subsequent visits."
- Indie Music Portal, Simon Rigby
"With a classically modern folky warble, a nimble fingerpicked guitar, and a gently placed rhythm section, Heather Styka has given us a sonically immaculate recording of personal narratives and captured moments... there's enough to keep anyone listening..."
-Sam Ueda, Dispatch Magazine
“One word leaps to mind to describe Heather Styka’s voice — purity… Heather’s unique delivery combines the influences of a fragile Irish air, the warm effervescence of upbeat Americana, soulful country and mournful blues. Her voice ensures these songs hit that place in your chest where emotions reside…. Discerning beauty and sensitivity... Every song fits perfectly into the whole and the sum total of [Lifeboats for Atlantis] is stunning.”
- Tim Carroll, FolkWords
“Heather’s songs capture moments, impressions, feelings, and thoughts in a way that connects with the listener, a lyrical wave that can carry one to shore with a solid conclusion, or go way out into the ocean, searching for an answer, insight, or direction”
- Lilli Kuzma, WDCB-FM
“Stories are often lurking behind the lyrics of a song - sometimes obscurely so. But fine and direct storytelling... is a special art when it comes to songwriting. And it's that kind of artistic mastery that poet and folksinger Heather Styka displays.”
- Butch Kara, KZGM-FM
“Listening to While This Planet Spins Beneath Our Feet… I’m once again struck by the power of the essential poetry that pours through her lyrics… Within each song you’re sharing the artist’s observations and insights, and it’s an easy undertaking to share the journey… It was never going to be an easy task to follow up her previous album Lifeboats for Atlantis; however While This Planet Spins Beneath Our Feet hits the mark dead centre.”
- Tim Carroll, Folk Words
“...truly an infectious artist... the pin drop moments are amazing.”
- Cyrus Rhodes, Muse’s Muse
“One of the more original of the many contemporary singer-songwriters touring the US... she paints landscapes and relationships in her well thought-out compositions.”
- Tom May, River City Folk
“...Inspiring...truly a breath of fresh air.”
- Henry Hallett, KXCI-FM