Ruby Amanfu

Soulful superstar in the making

NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS — Dubbed “Nashville’s Next Indie Star” by Billboard, astonishing soul-rock singer Ruby Amanfu is a force. Since her star turn on Jack White’s Love Interruption in 2012, she was nominated for a Grammy, toured with Norah Jones, and released her transcendent 2015 debut, Standing Still. Ruby Amanfu and her band get your heart beating a little faster up in the club on Saturday, April 2, at 8pm.

Amanfu is no stranger to standing ovations. With a soulful voice that in turn harnesses the soaring power of gospel’s greats and crackles with hushed intimacy, she is well on her way to becoming one of the greats. A voice like hers makes an impression on its own, but a magnetic stage presence and a tremendous capacity to fill songs with emotion leave concert halls breathless. This soul sister is also a sartorial star, sweeping stages in elegant-funky fashion as she brings down the house.

A highly skilled singer-songwriter, Amanfu’s Standing Still track list also manages to spotlight a flawlessly curated collection of covers paying homage to musical icons (including Wilco, Irma Thomas, and Brandi Carlile) as Amanfu breathes new life into beloved classics and makes them completely her own. NPR Music raves, “Some of the original versions feel practically perfunctory next to Amanfu’s renditions, so patiently and intently does she linger over lyrics, her phrasing dwelling on ambiguities and drawing intimate distress out into the open.” In a stand-out track, she gracefully transforms Kanye West’s “Street Lights” into a soulful, vulnerable, and heartfelt ballad.

Despite her youth, Amanfu is a music industry veteran. Born in Accra, Ghana, her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when she was three years old. Part of a close musical family, she was encouraged to pursue her musical talents from a young age. She’s been turning heads in collaborations with stars including Jason Isbell, Patti LaBelle, Sara Bareilles, Hozier, and Ryan Adams ever since. Amanfu gained acclaim during a successful run as part of pop-rock duo Sam & Ruby, and charmed the nation while competing on NBC’s The Sing-Off. A duet with one half of the White Stripes at the 2013 Grammys followed by a staggering rendition of “Not Dark Yet” at a Bob Dylan tribute event in New York City sparked the interest of industry bigwigs, and culminated in the release of Standing Still.

Ruby Amanfu knocks your socks off with sultry soul-rock in MASS MoCA’s Club B10 on Saturday, April 2, at 8pm. Dinner will be available from Lickety Split before and during the show. A full bar serves Berkshire Brewing Company beers and Berkshire Mountain Distillery spirits. Tickets are $10 for students, $16 in advance, $22 day of, and $28 preferred. Tickets for all events are available through the MASS MoCA box office located on Marshall Street in North Adams, open 11am to 5pm every day except Tuesdays through June 24, 2016. Beginning June 25, the box office is open 10am to 6pm every day, with extended evening hours to 7pm on Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling 413.662.2111 x1 during box office hours or purchased online at massmoca.org. All events are held rain or shine.

Sponsorship
This performance is sponsored by The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA.

Images
A collection of high-resolution images is available here: bit.ly/1NL6mgv.

About MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA is one of the world’s liveliest (and largest) centers for making and enjoying today’s most important art, music, dance, theater, film, and video. Hundreds of works of visual and performing art have been created on its 19^th-century factory campus during fabrication and rehearsal residencies, making MASS MoCA among the most productive sites in the country for the creation and presentation of new art. More platform than box, MASS MoCA strives to bring to its audiences art experiences that are fresh, engaging, and transformative.

MASS MoCA’s galleries are open 11am to 5pm every day except Tuesdays through June 24, 2016. Beginning June 25, MASS MoCA’s galleries are open 10am to 6pm every day, with extended evening hours to 7pm on Thursdays through Saturdays. The Hall Art Foundation’s Anselm Kiefer exhibition is seasonal and reopens April 30, 2016. Gallery admission is $18 for adults, $16 for veterans and seniors, $12 for students, $8 for children 6 to 16, and free for children 5 and under. Members are admitted free year-round. For additional information, call 413.662.2111 x1 or visit massmoca.org.

Download the Ruby Amanfu press release