Seela Misra

Seela Misra
Birth name	Seela Misra
Also known as	Seela
Born	Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Folk, jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, Bass, vocals
Years active	1994-present
Labels	New Improved Music
Associated acts	Matt the Electrician, TOrcH, The Jazz Pharahos
Website	iamseela.com

Seela Misra is a Canadian-born singer/songwriter residing in Austin, Texas. She was the lead singer of the jazz band TOrcH and is also the back-up singer for Matt The Electrician. Seela is known for an expressive vocal range, “one moment she rasps like a Jersey deli queen, the next she's cooing coquettishly.” This is evident in her solo work and when delivering jazz standards with the Jazz Pharaohs or with TOrcH where she has been credited with “unswerving hipness” succeeding where others have failed “in melding her own style with those from the past.”

Seela’s initial foray into recording, Probably Lucy (1994) conveyed “a spare sultriness,” and was called “a languid acoustic romp through the varied terrain of the poetic heart,” quickly selling out its first pressing. “Dark and atmospheric,” her follow-up album, Something Happened (1999), received criticism for inconsistent songwriting; “the head lady has not found quite enough songs to fill 56 minutes,” while simultaneously admitting “what her songwriting lacks in answers, it makes up for in mood.”

Indeed, depth of mood and emotion, thus far, has defined her career and stage presence: “Her stare is direct, like Krishna contemplating Radha,” while her “voice is her main calling card, soft and inviting, belying the darkness in her songs.” “Sonically compelling,” Seela is sought out in the Austin music scene, adding vocals to albums across a wide range of genres, while complimenting numerous artists on stage. Seela released her fourth studio album, Valentine in 2013.

Sean Hayes, Ian McLagan, Craig Ross, Tom Freund, Stanley Smith, Freedy Johnston, Ephraim Owens, Eric Beverly, Whammo, Jon Greene.

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Wikipedia