Kyshona

Biography

Kyshona Armstrong, known mononymously as Kyshona, was born and raised in Irmo, South Carolina, among the Gullah community, immersed in gospel, rhythm & blues, roots music, and as the granddaughter and daughter of gospel quartet players and singers. She initially studied piano for 15 years and classical oboe performance, later earning a degree in music therapy from the University of Georgia, where she also picked up guitar as part of her training. For over 17 years, she worked as a licensed music therapist with veterans, at-risk youth, incarcerated individuals, and those in mental health facilities, including leading a band called the Melotones in a forensics unit and a songwriting program in Davidson County Jail that produced the song 'I Am Enough.'[1][2][4][5]

Fun Facts

• Her song 'Listen' gained prominence during the 2020 racial justice protests due to its prescient lyrics on fear, hope, community, and understanding.[2][3]
• She performed a song 'I Am Enough,' written by women in Davidson County Jail during a nine-week songwriting program, at the Green Note venue in London, UK, and shared the video with the class.[4]
• Kyshona released recordings in collaboration with Centennial Park Conservancy, recorded at Nashville’s Parthenon in front of a monumental gold statue of Athena.[6]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Two Black men (poet and recreational therapy student) - Taught her how to write music during therapy sessions in a mental hospital (Music therapy sessions leading to her songwriting development) [Pre-2014]

Key Collaborators

• Andrija Tokic - Co-producer (Album 'Listen') [Released February 28, 2020]
• ZG Smith - Co-writer (Song 'Nighttime Animal' (American Songwriter’s Top 25 Songs of 2022)) [2022]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia