Khemaia

Aurora and Mikael: Crafting a Melodic Chemistry

Aurora, an Italian singer and songwriter, has spent the last 14 years honing her skills in classical singing, choir, and jazz music. Her diverse musical background includes extensive experience in gospel, modern, and functional techniques. To broaden her artistic persona, she delved into acting, dancing, and playing instruments such as the flute and piano. Presently, Aurora is expanding her knowledge by studying Vocal Jazz at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

Mikael, an Icelandic guitarist, composer, and producer boasts an impressive musical resume. His talents have been showcased on over 15 albums and his works have received accolades on esteemed platforms like BBC 3&6, French, and Icelandic national radio. A song he produced even soared to over a million streams on Spotify. His remarkable achievements have garnered recognition, being nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards six times, while his album "Nostalgia Machine" was acclaimed as the jazz album of the year by Iceland's press. Collaborating with notable musicians like Skuli Sverrisson and Henrik Linder, Mikael's reputation as a skilled artist precedes him.

Fate brought Aurora and Mikael together when their shared appreciation for lyrics and chocolate sparked a musical connection. Initially, they primarily focused on playing jazz standards, delving deep into the poetic essence of the music, exchanging interpretations, and sharing their mutual musical tastes and sensitivities. This served as the foundation for their undeniable chemistry.
However, their creative direction took a significant turn during one evening rehearsal. Mikael unveiled an instrumental piece he had just composed, and as the melody resonated through the room, Aurora's mind swarmed with fitting lyrics. Inspired by this synchronicity, they swiftly redirected their efforts towards crafting original "singer-songwriter" music, skillfully weaving together influences from jazz and pop. Encouraged by the outcome of their first two recordings, made in Torino (Italy) last February, initially intended to be singles, they made the enthusiastic decision to embark on creating a complete album.