Kristen Ford is notoriously distracted. This art school drop out has come of age in an era of instant messaging, youtube clips, ipod shuffle, text messages, internet radio and frequent Uhaul rentals. A genre whore, Kristen Ford jumps from Rock to Folk to Reggae to Pop and never sticks around for breakfast in the morning. Kristen Ford sings and writes songs, but she’s not exactly a singer songwriter. She plays acoustic guitar but is comfortable on bass and loves pushing her tube amp to the limits on electric.
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Kristen Ford is notoriously distracted. This art school drop out has come of age in an era of instant messaging, youtube clips, ipod shuffle, text messages, internet radio and frequent Uhaul rentals. A genre whore, Kristen Ford jumps from Rock to Folk to Reggae to Pop and never sticks around for breakfast in the morning. Kristen Ford sings and writes songs, but she’s not exactly a singer songwriter. She plays acoustic guitar but is comfortable on bass and loves pushing her tube amp to the limits on electric. She has played with the likes of Erin Mckeown and Sonya Kitchell and in settings from the holy Whatley Chapel in Massachusetts to beer soaked dives like The Empty Bottle in Chicago.
Ford’s sound is derived from the message of Ani Difranco, the experimentation of Radiohead, the grooves of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the ear candy of Tegan and Sara. Live sets with her 3-piece band feature distorted guitars, disco dance beats and reggae breakdowns, rounded out with hard-hitting pop hooks. Acoustic sets, while more intimate and song based, are focused on energizing the crowd and leaving them with melodies to mull over after the show.
At age 21, Kristen Ford has already lived in 5 states, primarily splitting time between Western Massachusetts and Chicago. Her band Plaid on Plaid is well traveled in the Chicago club circuit, and she helped to spearhead CHARC (Chicago Artist Collective) events that showcase emerging visual artists and musicians. Utilizing alternative venues, these events create a safe space for everyone’s enjoyment. A biracial (black and white) lesbian with progressive politics, Kristen strives to have a positive message in her music and move people towards acceptance and action, Kristen aims to create memorable performances, to craft eloquent songs and to engage the listener. Her music is universal and not a soapbox for a political, racial or social agenda. Kristen will continue to reach new audiences, to push herself and to revel in today’s underground arts movement.
Her debut record “Filthy Nasty” was recorded in the fall of 2008, at the Institute for the Musical Arts and was produced by Lee Madeloni and June Millington. This ten track LP is predictably unpredictable, each song bringing a new element to the listener. Filthy Nasty will be independently released in early 2009.
As Kristen’s career unfolds, she hopes her audience will continue to drink too much coffee, multi-task, wait tables, relocate, sublet, accessorize, text while driving, wikkepedia things, rescue cats, and whatever else can be done to keep them distractedly optimistic and ready to move as fast as this folk rocker from Chimassachugo.
Press for Kristen Ford:
“ An unexpected, eye catching blend…music is a fusion of varying elements, like heavy guitars and dance beats… creates music that speaks to everyone: gay, straight, black, white, whatever. [Kristen Ford] strives to be a new breed of rock.”
-Windy City Times April 2008
“Sounds like she was born with a Guitar in her hand. A Multi-instrumentalist with dozens of songs under her belt, she effortlessly glides between pop, rock and roots.”
-Diva Magazine October 2007
“She’s an ambitious girl, who plays guitar and records as a solo artist. Her live sets are never boring… this is how a girl with a guitar builds a fan base”
-Columbia Chronicle December 2006
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…shrink me down again
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