electronic press kit

 
 

Delivering flairs of Latin, blues, roots and pop, tied together with introspective lyricism, 22-year-old folk rock singer/songwriter Calista Garcia releases her sonically diverse eight-track album, Confession, on May 26, 2023. The young artist’s distinctive, expressive style and musical ingenuity shines through on the recent record release.

“I sat with myself for a couple of years during the pandemic, and I felt myself change,” Calista opens up about the inspiration behind Confession. “I'm now 21 and will be 22 by the time the record is out…there's a lot of wiring and rewiring during this stage of life. I've moved to New York City by myself, I've had my heart broken a couple times since the last record, and a lot of strange, beautiful, and difficult experiences. I learned that the best way to deal with hardship was to stare it in the eye, then just keep moving. I think the world's gotten too crazy for music you can't move to.” Collectively, Calista devotes Confession towards personal growth and learning to love your imperfections.

Previous LP singles released include lead track, The Coals,” that gained immediate support from Spotify’s official “Fresh Finds Folk” Best of 2022 playlist, “The Way I Love You,” Kalamazoo” which Under The Radar remarked as “a delightfully vintage piano rocker, recalling Elton John’s glam-laden tributes to rock and roll,” and “Flowers in My Hair” that Wonderland Magazine commented: “Calista Garcia is amongst the upper echelons… as she concocts a diverse, expressive and innovative sound that lays the foundation for striking, thoughtful songwriting. Atop the groove-laden, sentimental instrumental backdrop, Garcia delivers a delicate but endearing performance…” As well as her most recent single “Can’t Give Myself Away,” which Calista describes as her most confessional track on the album. 

Recorded at Plyrz Studios and produced by GRAMMY Award-winning producer Jim Scott (the Chicks, Tom Petty) in collaboration with Calista and GRAMMY Award-winning producer, Davíd Garza (Fiona Apple) showcases a “new classic” style — with a fresh, modern twist that hearkens back to the ‘70s era — drawing inspiration from legends such as Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell.

Confession follows Calista’s previously released EP’s, A Beautiful World (released October 2021) and Wild Woman (released April 2019), which garnered a nomination for “Best Roots/Country EP” in the 2020 Independent Music Awards. The project also won multiple nominations and awards from International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA), the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) and the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest (MASC).

As seen on Season 16 of NBC’s The Voice, Calista is a prolific songwriter who plays guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and harmonica. She is a 2022 Kerrville New Folk Winner, the 2022 Songwriter’s Association of Washington Young Artist of the Year, 2022 winner of 2 DC Area “Wammies” music awards (Best Folk song & artist), a 2021 Chris Austin Songwriting Finalist at Merlefest, a 2021 “She is the Music Foundation” Connect TogetHER Songwriting Fellow, the 2020 National YoungArts Gold Winner in Voice/Singer-Songwriter (top prize), a 2020 Johnny Mercer Songwriting Project Fellow, a 2019 Strathmore Artist in Residence, a 2017 & 2018 Berklee Performance Showcase Winner, the 2017 Bernard Ebbs Young Songwriter of the Year and a two-time Grammy Foundation Young Songwriter Program Artist.

A member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild, Calista also writes for the stage, having completed her second folk-rock inspired musical, Crystal Skies, which premiered in April 2018. Crystal Skies was a 2020 semifinalist for the Eugene O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference. Calista splits her time between New York City and Washington DC. She is on Takamine’s worldwide roster of Takamine guitar artists.

confession

Album Released May 26, 2023

A beautiful world

EP released October 29, 2021

 
 
 

My love, my love, my love

Featured Video

 

Wild Woman

Released April 2019

press quotes

“The 22-year-old Virginia native’s 8-track [Confession] is basically folk-pop rock showcased in an expressive mature style. Tunes are vulnerable, challenging but always sensitive. It has its introspection, lyricism, nostalgia & it’s distinctive… Calista does weave a stylistic charm through each tune with finesse.”

Americana Highways

“CALISTA GARCIA changes the world for you”

Takamine, takamine.com

Calista is making ripples with her original music, and this album is just proof of how deep and wide she can go as an artist. I found her on Instagram about a year ago, and her young, lilting voice, her radiant smile, and her timeless lyrics won me over from the start. This album, which takes from greats like Bob Dylan and Carole King, helps solidify her place in modern music. For me, it is a bit like hearing Jewel for the first time in the nineties, a voice and lyrics that wow you, and win a well-deserved place in your heart and soul.

Prism Reviews

"On the surface, it’s an old-school rock record that borrows from folk music and the blues, with dashes of Tejano/Tex-Mex tossed into the mix. These aren’t the typical slice-and-bake (aka generic) songs that litter many modern playlists, in other words; they’re chockfull of personality, whimsy and wit."

The Old Grey Cat

“Musically she could be Sheryl Crow’s younger sister, although she also has something of storytellers like Joni Mitchell or Paul Simon. CALISTA GARCIA charmingly transfers the feeling of the seventies to today.”

John Vand de Mergel, brothersinraw.com

“CALISTA GARCIA’s A Beautiful World acknowledges the chaos and turmoil that runs rampant in a pandemic-era world, but it doesn’t dwell on external circumstances. It turns inward in a display of introspection, exploration of identity, and a celebration of memories with nostalgic production reminiscent of greats like Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell.”

TREMG

Live Performances

Featured Videos

 
 
 
 

 Highlights/Stats

  • As seen on Season 16 NBC The Voice

  • Youtube - 173,000+ views & 1,270+ subscribers

  • Spotify - 780,000+ streams

  • Instagram - 8,500+ followers

  • Facebook - 3,400+ followers

  • Takamine Worldwide Guitar Artist

  • 2022 Kerrville New Folk Winner

  • 2022 MASC Young Songwriter of the Year

  • 2021 Chris Austin Songwritiing Finalist (Merlefest)

  • 2021 Alicia Keys “She Is the Music” Foundation Songwriting Fellow

  • 2020 National YoungArts Gold Winner

  • 2020 Independent Music Awards - Best Roots/Country EP Finalist