My Brightest Diamond

Shara Nova, a classically trained vocalist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist, records dazzling, shapeshifting music as My Brightest Diamond, and has been an ardent performer of new work. Over the course of four groundbreaking albums, she has resisted the conventions of genre, blending elements of rock, art pop, and chamber music into a sound totally her own. 2018’s album A Million And One sprung from a period of personal transformation. After the release of A Million And One, Nova turned her focus to composing larger works. This led to the creation and performance of Look Around in 2019, a 36-movement musical celebration featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and more than 20 musical and dance ensembles and 600 performers. Nova took inspiration for the project by talking to and working with the city’s creative community, ultimately composing over three hours of original music for the event. With no sight of slowing down, Nova continues to pursue ambitious compositional projects, the latest of which is entitled "Ocean Body," a multimedia art installation that recently premiered at Prototype Fest in New York City. She is a Carolina Performing Arts Creative Future Fellow, as well as a Kresge Fellow, Knights Grant recipient, and a United States Artists fellow.

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez