Harpist and composer Kirsten Agresta Copely has earned her second GRAMMY nomination for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for Kuruvinda. It’s a remarkable achievement to be recognized by the industry in back-to-back years, and it’s clear that Kirsten’s refreshing all-acoustic approach is resonating with listeners of all backgrounds.
I am deeply honored by this nomination. When you create an album as intimate as Kuruvinda, you offer it to the world with hope rather than certainty. To have this work acknowledged by the Recording Academy feels profoundly affirming. We are all imperfect gems, and I am grateful that this theme has connected with listeners in such a sincere way. – Kirsten Agresta Copely
Last fall, we welcomed Kirsten into the studio to perform selections from the album and share more of her story (READ HERE). Meeting her in person, you’re immediately struck by her welcoming nature and down-to-earth professionalism. She maneuvered her instrument downstairs with ease and moved through her entire program with practiced confidence. Having Kirsten in the studio felt like experiencing a blissful sound bath more than a recording session. Her acoustic setup invites true meditation from the audience.
Although classically trained, Kirsten has taken a different path from many of her peers. Yes, she has enchanted audiences on the concert stage, but she has also collaborated with artists across genres. From R&B and hip-hop icons like Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys, to big-band legend Tony Bennett, crooner Michael Bublé, and crossover and Broadway royalty like Andrea Bocelli and Audra McDonald. Kirsten has experienced the full range of productions, and it has helped shape her personal style.
Kirsten’s sound palette is intimate, with ambient resonance that allows the strings to breathe between phrases, creating beauty in the stillness. It’s a refreshingly unplugged approach, and her original repertoire for harp sets her apart from those who rely solely on arrangements of covers, carving out her own niche in crossover and ambient music.
The arc from Aquamarine to Kuruvinda reflects my own evolution. Aquamarine was inspired from the wake of grief, memory, and healing following the loss of my late Mom and our shared love of the ocean. Kuruvinda steps into the aftermath of grief with an inward deep dive, revealing how our flaws can become sources of resilience and beauty. – Kirsten Agresta Copely
Kirsten’s latest offering, Kuruvinda, centers on a deeply personal theme. Drawing on the Sanskrit word, Kirsten has shared, “This music embodies a journey to reveal imperfections and to remind ourselves that we are all imperfect gems, but those cracks are part of our brilliance.” The sentiment resonates with artists and listeners alike. Filled with aching beauty (see our full review here), the album continues to bring the harp to center stage as an instrument worthy of celebration in contemporary spaces.
The harp has carried me through every chapter of my career, and this GRAMMY® nomination feels like a valuable recognition of that lifelong partnership. My hope is that Kuruvinda invites listeners into a quiet space where they can feel both vulnerable and radiant, and serves as a gentle reminder that they, too, are imperfect gems. – Kirsten Agresta Copely