INTERVIEWS
By Steph Castor Photo: “Resilient” Art Work
Using music is a tool and a catalyst for betterment in our communities
S
isters Chloe Smith and Leah Song make up the Southern-based folk band Rising Appalachia, along with bandmates David Brown on upright bass and baritone guitar and Biko Casini on world percussion. Hailing from Atlanta, the sisters were raised on music from the Appalachian Mountains frequently attending fiddle camps and music gatherings in the region.
muster up the energy for the public every night on stage. There was a deeper need to internalize and be more private, to sit with the bones of our work and re-envision what we would be doing in the years to come.”
Longtime social and environmental activists, the sisters have been involved in the rebuilding efforts following Katrina and protests at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Their recent single “Resilient” is described as “an anthem for seeking calm in the chaos-storm that has descended upon America and the world at large.” The song was
“Resilient” is Rising Appalachia’s first release since their 2017 album Alive and is a beautiful, uplifting song highlighting the sisters’ stunning vocals and multi-instrumental talents. The band has been busy touring and back in the studio recording, but took the time to talk to GMM about “Resilient,” their experience as females in the music industry, and their roles as musicians.
26 Guitar Girl Magazine
written while the sisters were touring the Pacific Coast during the 2016 presidential election. “I needed to hear those very words myself... to remind me to be my highest self in the face of chaos and adversity, and to use my platform to encourage others to do the same,” says Chloe. She continues, “...honestly, with so much animosity in the country, it was challenging to
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