Profoundly cinematic, intensely intimate: the artistry of Sierra West reveals itself in essential melodies, vivid visuals and absorbing emotions. Deep vibe tracks and sparkling acoustic guitars frame the confiding voice of a singer-songwriter completely committed to the sincerity of her songs.
Originally from Connecticut, Sierra took her first leap of faith by relocating to the fertile singer-songwriter hub of Boston, a city that she describes as “…jam packed with every kind of musician that you can think of. Every night there are multiple shows where you can hear artists and learn from them up close.”
Performing at the legendary Harvard Square venue Club Passim among many other stages, Sierra was honored with the Berklee College of Music Online Celebrity Scholarship in the name of Gary Burr and began learning the art of production. Embracing change, she checked out possibilities for relocation. “San Diego had the most musical communities,” she remembers. “They all seemed fun and happy.”
Only two short years in her West Coast environs, Sierra has made substantial in-roads: Winning “Best Singer-Songwriter” at the San Diego Music Awards and topping the winners’ list for the San Diego Songwriters Guild’s 21st and 22nd Annual Song Contests. With nominations including the International Songwriting Competition, the Hollywood Music in Media Awards and OUTMUSIC, she was named one of the nation’s Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands by Music Connection Magazine.
Marking her first major placement on network television, Sierra’s song “Hold Your Fire” the title cut of her EP, was featured on the hit ABC-TV drama Resurrection. “It was more about the vibe than a direct story,” she says of the cinematic, vibrato-drenched track.
Contributing to a musical community and attending conferences and workshops fuels Sierra’s creativity. She makes frequent trips to Los Angeles for live performances, networking and business opportunities. With an expanding circle of co-writers, she collaborates on sunny songs with essential pop elements. She has also recently joined the all-girl band, CalAmity, as a multi-instrumentalist featuring the washboard tie.
Sierra acknowledges the shadows on her journey, especially the loss of her brother when she was a teenager. “It is the biggest thing in my life. Still to this day that’s my drive and my purpose -- accepting and realizing I do the things I have to do. It drives my persistence, and helps me to appreciate how important music really is.”
A devoted friend to animals, an addiction treatment supporter, an adventurer and a traveler: Sierra West shares authentic songs with appreciative audiences in venues including Lestat’s in San Diego, Room 5 in Los Angeles, and an expanding circuit of house concerts.
Reflecting back on her past of depression, anxiety and addiction, she hopes that her songs speak to others who might be confronting similar challenges. “I want people to think outside of the box in connecting the dots between science and art. You don’t have to be one or the other or to feel alone for being that way and not fitting in.”
