Cecily Bumbray

About the Artist

DC-based vocalist and songwriter Cecily is known for her agile soprano and honest lyrics. Her current album Awakening Pt. 1 was named “Best New Soul on Bandcamp” by the Bandcamp editorial team, who described the project as “stirringly timeless and modern.” Her sound, as soothing as it is rich, is musically mature, and rooted in a deep appreciation for mid- century soul and jazz, 90’s R&B, and re-imagined folk music. Her work has a unique sensuality that informs not only her vocal approach, but also her self-reflecting lyrics, grappling with self-acceptance, vulnerability, and rebirth. Cecily was selected to be part of the Strathmore Artist-in-Residence class of 2018, a program that honed her performance skills and encouraged genre-defying collaborations. Cecily was also the recipient of a 2018 Project Grant from the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, which she used to fund her recent studio project about the mastery of love.

Artist's Statement

I am a vocalist and a songwriter. I create within my work an intimacy between the listeners and myself. I tell them my story, and, after hearing it, I hope they feel vulnerable enough to tell me theirs. My sound is based on my experiences as a child. The music I heard was soulful and timeless. My own work is nostalgic and very much rooted in an ancestral lineage of sounds. As a songwriter, love is a central theme, especially love of self and negotiating with my own insecurities. In addressing them through my music, I find healing.