It’s not only how Lauren Kendall’s voice resonates inside of you when you listen, as she conveys images of love, spirituality, pain and empowerment through her songs. It’s more than her genius for lyrics. This up-and-coming musician’s trademark is that she actually accompanies herself on her cello while she sings, creating a rich blend and an unmistakable sound.

She has already seen great success from her independent debut album when (May 2002). She just returned from playing the Eastern International Pagan Pride Day Festival in Massachusetts in mid-September, she participated in a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in November, and she is about to release her second full-length album this December. Her single “Red on Black” was released on the prestigious Oasis Radio Sampler to stations Nationwide.

Never before have rich classical sounds been combined with such subtlety and edginess in a way that is accessible and thrilling to contemporary audiences. Kendall’s first album showcases her rich, womanly voice in original songs, such as “With the Dark of the Night” and “Song in Dreams,” the latter of which won her first prize in a talent show judged by Broadway legend Carl Anderson. The songs themselves are surprisingly tight for a first album, while the orchestrations show great potential for even bigger things to come. She is already being compared to two great chanteuses of the modern ge, Joni Mitchell and Tori Amos, both of whom she honors with unique remakes of some of their songs.

When asked about her second album Red, coming out in December 2004 says, “This project is much more personal, more daring. When you start writing songs that you’re afraid to show to your mother, you know you’re hitting on some personal issues. I’m also incorporating more cello into the songs—it creates such soul in so many of the songs.”

Kendall’s professional background is as varied as her music. In 2002 and 2003, she fronted a classic rock cover band. Then, she had a short stint with the power folk band Revel Moon, where she played cello, flute, keys, and performed back-up vocals. While taking classical voice lessons in college under the instruction of Carol Gutknecht, she performed numerous arias, such as “Habanera” from Carmen, “Non so piu cosa son, cosa faccio,” from Le Nozze di Figaro, and numerous German lieder by Schumann and Schubert.

Kendall showed an affinity for anything musical at an early age. A lot of her performance experience comes from being involved in theatre. Through the years, she has been in a wide range of plays and musicals. Her credits include plays like Cabaret, A Slice of Saturday Night (in England), Beautiful Thing (Leah), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oklahoma (Ado Annie), and Gypsy! (Tessie Tura), to name a few. Her first major role: Birgitte from The Sound of Music when she was 11 years old. She has helped arrange and write music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest with the Encore Theatre Company in Richmond, VA.

Kendall can most often be found performing in concerts and plays around
Virginia and nearby states. However, she does travel outside of the region. You can keep track of performances at www.holycackle.com.