Since moving to San Diego, Astra has been nominated 5x for a San Diego Music Award. She's appeared in the pages of City Beat, The San Diego Reader, The NC times, and The SD Troubadour. She's been heard on Java Jams (CTN/Channel 4), FOX ROX (Fox Channel 6), KUSI Good Morning San Diego CW6 San Diego Living, on the air at 94/9 with Tim Pyles, on 91X with Rowley and on 102.1 KPRI where she DJ'd their Saturday night local music show, The KPRI Homegrown Hour from Jan. 2007 to May 2009. In summer 2008, she made her television debut as guest host for KNSD TV/NBC 7/39 and KPRI's "Concerts on the Square. Also, her music video for "All I Got" was showcased in the 2010 San Diego Film Festival.
She was born in Marvel, AR. and delivered by Dr. Wise. Her early interest in music was fueled by family jams, school choirs and formal music studies. Astra is a rare talent with a universal, lyric-based, melodic sound that is an original blend of her Chicago roots in soul and blues merged with rock, indie and acoustic elements. Her passionate performance style is derived from her days of street performing in Chi-town, incessant touring, and an undeniable devotion to the music. Her lyrics read like poetry, speaking of emotional transformation and personal freedom. Whether armed with only an acoustic guitar or onstage with the full electric band, her delivery is an intensely powerful expression of her art and sound. Since 1996, Astra has released 6 records on her Rockaway record label, including her most recent "Timebomb."
She's also versed in the art of improve. She was a major player in the acid jazz explosion in Chicago with the band SUMO who never rehearsed once in 31/2 years and yet packed houses every single week. She continued this tradition with the group FLY during her time in Santa Fe, NM. Her work in the music industry includes managing recording studios, promotions/booking, graphic design, DJ, vocal coach, producer, and publisher.
Astra reached a major turning point a few years back when she skidded on some black ice on the way to a gig in Colorado. Her tour van rolled and she landed upside down on a set of train tracks. In the light of the full moon with her posters and CDs scattered along the highway, she grabbed her guitar and got to safety just in time to watch a train charge down the tracks and crash into her tour van. (see full story in blog."The Crash")
Throughout the years, Astra has had the privilege to open for such acts as: Stanley Jordan, Meshell Ndegeocello, David Wilcox, Widespread Panic, Donovan Frankenreiter, Johnette Napolitano, Shawn Mullins, The Freddie Jones Band, Leon Russell, The Marshall Tucker Band, Jeff Healey, The Samples, and members of Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
"Astra is astralicious! Spooky astra-nomical-vocaology lovecicle raindrops." - SD local legend, Steve Poltz
RECENT PRESS:
Kelly's Astral Local Acclaim Continues!!- San Diego Downtown News: Bart Mendoza
"Many local performers have quickly gained a foothold in the local scene, but singer songwriter, Astra Kelly's rise has been nothing less than meteoric. Relocating to San Diego from Chicago in 2006, she has become one of the area's top promoters of local music, a DJ on KPRI and a host of KNSD-TV's "Concerts on the Square" show. But performing remains her first love. While there is no shortage of singer-songwriters today. Kelly infuses her tunes with just enough rock n roll edge to keep things fresh while keeping the melody quotient in her music high."
PRESS QUOTES:
"Astra Kelly practices a hard-edged, yet folkish, ever-so-slightly jazzy brand of emotional exorcism"
David Prince - The Santa Fe Reporter
"The music is hard-driving, strumming acoustic guitar, supported by a wide variety of instruments on different tracks. The lyrics are like poetry, with phrases that find permanent homes in your head. Throughout her music, Astra strings sentences together that connect as something universal." - John Abbott, Diversity (Wright College of Chicago)
"Astra Kelly has released an EP of incredibly well crafted and thought provoking songs. This is by far one of the best local albums I've heard in a very long time." - Steve Maes, Transmission Magazine, NM
ALBUMS:
Battling the Sun EP - Jan. 2010
EP 2004
Acoustic Soul Live 2000
Subtown Rituals 1999
Stones, Bones, and Boxes 1996
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