Ayla Nereo
{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| name = Ayla Nereo
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| image = Ayla Nereo 2019.jpg
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| caption = Nereo in concert at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC in 2019
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| genre = Folk, electronic
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, harp
| years_active = 2006-present
| label = Jumpsuit Records
| associated_acts = Wildlight, Starling Arrow
| current_member_of = Starling Arrow{{cite web |title=Starling Arrow - About |url=https://starlingarrow.com/about |website=StarlingArrow.com |access-date=2022-12-01}}
| website = {{URL|aylanereo.com}}
}}
Ayla Nereo is an American musician known for her solo work and her work with the groups Wildlight and Starling Arrow.
Early childhood and education
Ayla Nereo grew up in Sonoma County, California.{{cite news |last1=Orlando |first1=Cynthia |title=AYLA NEREO, AN ARTIST TO WATCH |url=https://prp.fm/ayla-nereo-an-artist-to-watch/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=Portland Radio Project |date=November 13, 2019}} She was home-schooled by her parents until high school and was "raised to appreciate and respect the earth."{{cite news |last1=Havens |first1=Lyndsey |title=Ayla Nereo on the Planet Being Her Muse & Creating With The Polish Ambassador |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ayla-nereo-interview-2016-polish-ambassador-7542148/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=Billboard |date=October 19, 2016}} Some of the music that she grew up listening to includes ABBA, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, and classical and traditional Celtic music.
Nereo studied psychology at college, and her artistic interests were dance and film-making.
Career
Nereo began to write and perform music around 2005. Initially afraid to sing for people, she gradually overcame her fears, with the encouragement of her friends. She describes her songwriting process as one of "channelling" songs.{{cite news |last1=Calvano |first1=Jordan |title=Wildlight: Hers Was As Thunder review + Ayla Nereo interview |url=https://www.theuntz.com/news/wildlight-hers-was-as-thunder-review-plus-ayla-nereo-interview/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=The Untz |date=August 5, 2013}} In addition to her solo work, Nereo has released music with her brother as the duo Beatbeat Whisper,{{cite web |last1=Daytrotter |title=Beatbeat Whisper - Up The Long Tracks |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/beatbeat-whisper/beatbeat-whisper-up-the-long-tracks/ |website=Paste Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227060148/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/beatbeat-whisper/beatbeat-whisper-up-the-long-tracks/ |archive-date=27 February 2023 |date=10 April 2008 |url-status=dead}} with dance music DJ The Polish Ambassador, under the name Wildlight, and a cappella group Starling Arrow.{{cite web |last1=Cristi |first1=A. A. |title=Newly Formed Starling Arrow Announce Debut Single “Wild Sweet” Out Now & Album Due Out January 2023 |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Newly-Formed-Starling-Arrow-Announce-Debut-Single-Wild-Sweet-Out-Now-Album-Due-Out-January-2023-20221011 |website=Broadway World Music |access-date=27 February 2023}}
Reviewer Sterling Martin has called Nereo's music "breath-taking" as well as "expansive and intriguing."{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Sterling |title=Wildlight (The Polish Ambassador + Ayla Nereo) release The Tide |url=https://www.theuntz.com/news/wildlight-the-polish-ambassador-plus-ayla-nereo-release-the-tide/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=The Untz |date=September 25, 2015}} Another reviewer, Maddy Crandall, referred to her music as "soul music" with "conscious lyrics," pointing to the environmental and progressive values in her music.{{cite news |last1=Crandall |first1=Maddy |title=RISING APPALACHIA + AYLA NEREO TO PLAY THE OGDEN THEATRE |url=https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/rising-appalachia-ayla-nereo-play-ogden-theatre |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=Grateful Web |date=October 14, 2019}}
Nereo often plays at large music festivals, and has toured with bands including Rising Appalachia, Trevor Hall, and Nahko and Medicine for the People.
Personal life
Nereo lives in Nevada City, California.
Discography
=Solo albums=
- Play Me A Time (2006)
- Floating Felt (2009)
- BeHeld (2012)
- Hollow Bone (2014)
- Hollow Bone REMIXES (2015)
- The Code of the Flowers (2016)
- By the Light of the Dark Moon (2019)
- Sovereign Kin (2023)
=With duo Wildlight=
- Hers Was As Thunder (2013)
- Hers Was As Thunder (Remixes) (2014)
- The Tide (2015)
- The Tide (Acoustic) (2016)
- The Tide Remixes (2016){{cite web |title=Ayla Nereo |url=https://aylanereo.bandcamp.com/music |publisher=Bandcamp |access-date=February 4, 2022}}
=With Starling Arrow=
- Cradle (2023)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://aylanereo.com/}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nereo, Ayla}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters
Category:American folk singers