Sounds of the Mountains Series – Maia Kamil with special guest The Queen Bees – in partnership with the Blue Ridge Music Center Saturday, January 20 @ 7:30pm / $20

From the mountains of the Galilee to the backwoods of North Carolina, singer-songwriter Maia Kamil is at home in the world. Maia has spent years refining a musical style that weaves eclectic influences, vocal dexterity, and complex lyrics to create tiny worlds in which the listener can get lost. As a teen, her grandmother gifted her with a guitar and she taught herself to play around campfires in northern Israel, echoing the sounds she heard around her. In 2020, Maia relocated to North Carolina where she worked with guitarist and producer Charlie Hunter, who helped hone her craft. She became known as the local Norah Jones for her warm vocals, spiritual center, and ease with stepping into a variety of genres from Hip Hop to Neo-soul and folk. Much like her writing, Maia’s performances are an invitation to form community and create deep human connection. Her simple melodies act as launch pads for her graceful vocal runs, creating a new sound with a global soul.

https://www.charliehunter.com/maia-kamil

https://linktr.ee/maiakamil 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeuPMlZyGFA

QUEEN BEES

QUEEN BEES is a musical collaboration between three North Carolina-based multimedia artists: award-winning musician and journalist, Molly McGinn; renowned electronic music producer and songwriter, Quilla; and esteemed musician and creative producer Kate Musselwhite Tobey. They use a unique blend of traditional acoustic instruments, modern electronic components, vocal harmonies and the folk tradition of storytelling to bring people together and shed light on current issues. Their collaboration goes beyond the traditional construct of a band because they also create visual stories and cultural experiences for diverse audiences. Their songs uplift audiences and dance to the rhythm of social change. Their first track, “Ravens and the Wrens” (Ritual Fire Records, 2021), was inspired by the personal experiences of trans author Sam Peterson. Past collaborations between Molly McGinn and Quilla include “Wild and Kind” (2016)—a musical prayer written to raise awareness about plans to build a canal in Nicaragua that would devastate the local agricultural economy in its path. Collaborations between Quilla and Kate Tobey include “Old Souls” (2020) and forthcoming tracks “Bloodlines” and “You Belong Here,” which explore ancestry and migration. QUEEN BEES see their music as a responsibility to serve the community. Their music emphasizes a strong beat, meticulous stringed arrangements, delightful harmonies and bright rhythm guitar. 

https://program.ncfolkfestival.com/item/11810-Queen-Bees

*Presented in Parntership with the Blue Ridge Music Center*