Crys Matthews with special guest Heather Mae

DC’s Crys Matthews is nothing if not ambitious. In August, she simultaneously released both a new full-length album, The Imagineers, and an EP, Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers. These collections showcase two sides of Matthews’ dynamic songwriting; The Imagineers is a selection of thoughtful songs about love and life while Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers tackles social justice themes. Songs from both projects have already won her recognition and awards. She was one of ten finalists (from a pool of 5,000) in this year’s NewSong Music Competition and, after performing at Lincoln Center on November 30 she was named grand-prize winner. Matthews also won the People Music Network’s Social Just Songs contest at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance. Matthews blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics. Having been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman to Ruthie Foster, Matthews’ eclectic infusion of genres has won her honorable mentions at the 2013 and 2014 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and extensive radio play.

Unfazed by what a typical pop star today is supposed to look like and how the typical pop artist is supposed to sound, Heather Mae, an award-winning songwriter whose evocative vocals and rhythmic piano style call to mind artists like Stevie Nicks and Sara Bareilles, creates intoxicating music that tackles complex topics surrounding mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, self-love, racial injustice, social inequality, and women’s rights. Inspired by her own personal experiences and identitites – a queer plus-sized woman living with Bipolar Disorder – and those of her multifaceted fans with whom she has forged connections throughout her many years of touring across the United States, Mae crafts powerful lyrics and unforgettable music about life’s moments – from the quietly chaotic to the explosive. In 2016, after an eight-month period of silence to recover from vocal nodules, Mae made a vow: she would solely write music that made the world a better place. Her independently released EP, I AM ENOUGH, which reached #58 on iTunes Pop Albums charts, was her announcement to the world. Mae who was dubbed “the new queer Adele” by L-Mag, envelops her audience with a message of hope.