Testimonials
“Kiaya is an absolutely amazing artist who performs a wide array of material from Indie, to Folk, to Pop, to Indie Folk Pop. She has a strong variety of original music and has an album coming out very soon called November Summer!! I've even heard her perform a mean cover of Taylor Swift. When Kiaya performs her energy and passion sinply transforms a room and she makes sure to do her best to interact with as much of the audience as she can. Kiaya strongly supports other musicians and is an overall genuine human being and great friend.”
-Kathryn Olmstead
“Kiaya has been a talented musician since I first met her as a young lady 20 years ago. I remember her dedication at that young age to honing her craft, giving her very best to every performance. Since that time, she has only grown more talented and more skilled as a singer, a songwriter, and a musician. Kiaya knows first hand the power of music to uplift, to inspire, and to connect deeply with each other. You can hear this understanding in her voice and in her songs, offering listeners a part of herself in every performance, every note. Kiaya's music is a gift she generously gives to the world while supporting other musicians in her community and providing music lovers with access to outstanding music not easily found in the mainstream. Do yourself a favor, and tune in, buy her albums, go to her performances!! Your ears and your heart will thank you!!”
-Venus Alice Reeve Walker
“Kiaya is a warm and engaging interviewer and makes all the guests on her show feel welcomed. Being on her show you get the sense that she really cares about you/your art and she’s genuinely interested in what you have to say! She’s a huge support to artists and Rappahannock Radio is such a valuable outlet for local musicians and businesses!”
“Rappahannock Radio is a huge proponent for independent artists. Kiaya’s review of our single, “Park Bench,” was incredibly thoughtful and well composed. It helped us shape our future press releases and our press kit, which we use to book shows and future press. The state of Virginia is very lucky to have such a hard-working and intentional music publication advocating for independent artists.”
-Palmyra
“Kiaya has a talent for holding space for conversations that matter. She asks thoughtful questions about art, experience and the creative process. I received a lot of positive feedback after our interview and my work has been gaining valuable visibility from airtime with Rappahannok Radio. I’m very excited to be a part of her growing community of voices and stories. Rappahannok Radio is a very worthwhile pursuit and I’m honored to be among the many wildly talented individuals Kiaya has interviewed and showcased.”
“As a cultural anthropologist I can say with confidence that this project is an asset to the community and to posterity at large. My work is focused in the cloud forest of coastal Ecuador where I live with a small community. The importance of cultural heritage preservation is paramount to this community. Without it, the community would be left adrift lacking context.
The same idea can be applied to the beautiful place that is Rappahannock county. Those of us who are lucky enough to know those rolling hills, serene forests and powerful mountains know that there is something very special about the place. It could be called a spirit of place, a vibration that infects the soul and brings beauty into existence. But the spirit of place is something more, it lives in the cultural landscape, a landscape that has not forgotten the generations that have worked its earth and those descendants that still live there.
In Rappahannock Radio I see the perpetuation of cultural heritage. I hear the age-old art of storytelling. In Kiaya's work I see the ideas of an artist combined with the skills of an anthropologist, bringing awareness to the stories of the people who enrich Rappahannock county. This project collects and preserves the intangible and ephemeral for the greater good. I think it is a fine project well worth your continued support.”
-Victor Rogers-Phillips
“As a young woman, native to the county, raising her family in Rappahannock, she beautifully represents a new generation committed to preserving the magic, culture and most importantly the ecology of beloved Rappahannock. She is the daughter of two amazing long term residents who upheld the same ethos for our community.
The main reason I feel her work is vital is that via her interviews she is in essence creating historic archival material that will serve the community for years and decades to come. It is the story telling of our rural lives that deeply enriches and nourishes our minds, souls and lives. The legacy that will be left will be invaluable.”
-Kat Maier
“I have known Kiaya to be an artist, musically and in life. She demonstrates beauty in action. Music and the art of knowing seem to be at her core. The other thing I know is we are birthday sisters, Sharing 3-3. As I have watched and appreciated this young artist I have been drawn by her soft demeanor and innate beauty.
When she invited me to be interviewed as her guest on Rappahannock Radio and I was delighted! I love talking. I am a teacher, with Aquarius rising which means, true to my nature, I talk for a living. And what better subject than my journey into herbalism and my connection to Rappahannock County, my home of choice.
Kiaya showed up on the hottest day of the year in a pandemic. We agreed to sit in the AC and have better sound control and felt safe in each other’s presence. She makes the set up and experience easy and special. She guided me through the interview with insightful questions. She is perfect to bring stories of personal experience, trials and successes to the listening audience. I am one of the privileged to live in this beautiful natural environment and feel so connected to the surroundings and artistic expressions that envelop us here. This is the essence of what is captured by Kiaya, as a native to Rappahannock County. “
-Teresa Boardwine