Local singer-songwriter Ayla Nereo to Perform at The Center for the Arts

The Center for the Arts is pleased to welcome local singer-songwriter Ayla Nereo to the Marisa Funk Theater on September 30, 2022. With an uncanny ability to crack open the heart, Ayla’s songs are an ode to the wonder of being human, inviting us deeper into the exquisite and innately psychedelic dream of this moment.

From electronic folk ballads to celtic melodies and elvin loop-pedal mantras, lyrical meditations and riddles of language dance into wondrous tapestries of sound and story that weave forth a magical and poetic world of sonic beauty. Her music is richly layered electronic soundscapes, with vocalizations that build harmoniously through a loop-pedal, integrating string arrangements, percussion and guitar melodies, creating a musical genre that is uniquely its own. 

Born in Sonoma County, surrounded by an inspirational family life that encouraged creativity, Ayla grew up listening to Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Celtic music and ABBA. She had to overcome fears of singing publicly, though you’d never guess that after witnessing her confidently perform.

In college, while studying psychology, with interests in film making and dance, songs suddenly began to come to her and she was encouraged by friends and family to express them. As of today, she has released 6 albums and several remixed collaborative albums. She also pens songs with electronic music composer The Polish Ambassador (David Sugalski) under the band name Wildlight, allowing her to express her deeply emotional lyrics arranged with danceable, bouncy world beats. 

The release of her gorgeous 6th studio album in 2019, entitled By the Light of the Dark Moon expanded her circles of reach, from a west coast transformational music niche to a more global audience. Ayla likes to write albums that are thematic, with her latest album, the theme was about the gifts found within shadows and challenge, and the growth that results from it, “speaking to what becomes visible when times get darker, whether it be inside us, as a culture, or in our cosmos.” 

Her live performances have ignited festival stages, and the most memorable performance for her was at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, with her voice reverberating off the rock walls. She enjoys adding graceful dance to her performances, sometimes accompanied by her bassist and drummer, mashing up her conscious lyrics, compelling vocals, self-produced beats as well as live instrumentation. Her first performance at The Center for the Arts on September 30 will be an elixir for the soul, with support from Marya Stark and special guest Tina Malia.