Yasmin Williams w/Diana Demuth at The Iron Horse on Tuesday, February 11 2025
Yasmin Williams is an innovative guitarist and composer known for her unique compositional approach and expansive instrumental style. Her latest album Acadia, released on Nonesuch Records, showcases her evolution from solo performer to collaborative artist, featuring partnerships with notable musicians like Aoife O'Donovan and Immanuel Wilkins.
Williams' distinctive creative process involves "ruminating*
on single notes until compositions naturally emerge. Beyond traditional fingerpicked guitar, she demonstrates mastery of multiple instruments including kora, harp guitar, banjo, and electric guitar. Her music, while rooted in folk traditions, transcends conventional structures to incorporate elements of progressive rock and experimental composition.
Following her acclaimed 2021 album Urban Driftwood, Acadia represents a significant artistic expansion, featuring three distinct sections that move from traditional folk influences to atmospheric soundscapes and experimental arrangements. Williams' approach emphasizes sustained tones and intricate articulation, creating music that balances technical precision with ethereal, floating melodies.
ABOUT YASMIN WILLIAMS
Yasmin Williams, raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, grew up surrounded by music. Inspired by a wide range of artists-from Chuck Brown to Jimi Hendrix-she began developing her innovative fingerstyle acoustic guitar technique while studying music theory and composition at NYU.
Williams has released two previous albums, Unwind (2018) and Urban Driftwood (2021), where she introduced unique approaches, such as playing kalimba and guitar simultaneously. She also incorporates instruments like the kora, harp guitar, and banjo. Despite her use of folk instruments, she resists being categorized within the genre, valuing creative freedom over conformity. Her latest record, Acadia, is out now via Nonesuch Records.
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Restless and ready to pave her own way, Diana DeMuth has burst onto the singer-songwriter scene with a breathtaking voice and arresting perspective about life, love and self-discovery. Her debut album “Misadventure” was released independently in 2020 to critical acclaim. Shortly after that she sang a featured duet with Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz on his debut solo album “Vignettes” which reached #1 on Billboard Vinyl Charts. Most recently Diana sang backgrounds on the The Lumineers chart-topping album“Brightside”.DeMuth, a proud LGBTQ daughter of the Massachusetts coast, brings her songs to life in powerful and cathartic live performances supporting the likes of The Lumineers, Mellisa Etheridge, Jade Bird, Amos Lee, The Felice Brothers, and Michael Franti.“A euphoric must-listen.”—Rolling Stone “Diana opened up for us on the last Lumineers Tour. Listen to her music -her voice will haunt you.” -Wesley Schultz
