An Evening with Kyshona

Colorado College will welcome singer-songwriter Kyshona and her trio for a performance beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 in Celeste Theatre, Cornerstone Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Self-described as a “music therapist gone rogue,” Nashville-based Kyshona is an artist ignited by untold stories and the capacity of those stories to thread connection in every community. With the background of a licensed music therapist, the curiosity of a writer, the resolve of an activist, and the voice of a singer, Kyshona (pronounced Kuh-SHAUN-Uh) is unrelenting in her pursuit for the healing power of song.

“Kyshona creates music that both inspires and invites us to listen more closely,” said Ryan Bañagale, associate professor and co-chair of the Colorado College Music Department. “As we continue to endure both challenges and trauma, her songs ask us to really consider what we need, from ourselves and others to be well and to thrive. It is an honor for us to be able to make Kyshona’s incredible artistry available to the Colorado Springs community.”

In 2021, Kyshona founded Your Song, a charitable organization that offers therapeutic songwriting sessions for at-risk and marginalized youth, for the elderly to aid in memory care/recovery, for incarcerated populations and those re-entering society, for those experiencing addiction and those in recovery, as well as programming geared towards women’s health and healing, strengthening bonds between new parents and their children, and more.

The Kyshona Trio performance at CC presented in partnership between the Colorado College Music Department and the Wellness Resource Center, with additional support from the Colorado College Cultural Attractions Fund. CC students also have the opportunity to participate in a therapeutic songwriting workshop with Kyshona during her visit to campus.

About Kyshona
Kyshona lends her voice and music to those that feel they have been silenced or forgotten. She facilitates writing sessions with groups and individuals who feel left out or marginalized, in hopes of reconnecting those who are divided. Her latest singles, “Rise the Tide” and “Out Loud,” were released over the summer to critical acclaim. She wrote “Out Loud” with friend and fellow artist Caroline Spence about braving the silence to speak a difficult truth.

“I often think of this song as if the trio and I are singing to a child - but really this song can be a message to anyone,” Kyshona said, referring to vocalists Maureen Murphy and Nickie Conley, who regularly tour and perform with her. “Sometimes I think it is a message I’m sending to myself as well. It’s not always easy to say what you need or to tell someone about something that happened to you, but it is important to find the words to do so when you’re ready. It’s equally important to let folks around you know that you are listening.”

For more information about the concert or about parking at CC for music events, contact the Music Office at (719) 389-6545 or [email protected]. Visit www.coloradocollege.edu/music to learn more about the CC Music Department.

Colorado College welcomes participants with disabilities. Contact the Music Office to request accommodations. Advance notice may be necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.