Biography
Artist, songwriter, and Chicago native, Astra Kelly, is a pure talent with a lyric-based, melodic sound and soaring vocals. Eclectic in style and genre, her music draws from her soulful Chicago roots fused with indie folk and Americana. Her performances are passionate, full of energy, and a powerful expression of her art and sound. Her songs often mirror the beautiful grit of being alive and open the way for a thought provoking and emotive musical experience. She’s a career artist who has toured the country extensively, and has released ten records on her own label. In 2022, she embarked upon “The Making Music Tour,” an epic RV journey around the US to rediscover her creative mojo after the Pandemic, write a new record, and to allow space for grieving the loss of her Mom. The resulting album, “Soul Fires,” is nine songs that reflect spiritual/emotional healing and transformation, and embrace the power within universal love, the open road, nature, and the mysticism of life. Astra describes the sound of as “Folk Rock Bitten by the South.”
Astra is also a vocal and songwriting coach, has managed multiple recording studios, writes and produces music for other artists, and is a voice over talent represented by local agency Shaman Freitas. She’s also been a radio DJ and TV host. She is passionate about being in service through music, helping others tap into their creative source, and advocating for well being, personal transformation, and emotional freedom. As a facilitator for a rehabilitative songwriting workshop at Donovan State Prison, she’s experienced the profound nature of songwriting to provide an outlet for healing and growth for people from all walks of life.
She re-located to Ramona from San Diego in December 2023 to ecstatically join the growing community of incredibly talented artists and musicians.
The Ramona Music Alliance (RMA) was founded in 2022 by local musicians Jon Hasz and Ashley E. Norton.
The idea is to make the amazing music scene that is already organically growing into an official organization.
The goal is to continue to encourage and support live music venues and each other,
help build audiences and share information and resources.
Ramona is a happy place with great music and wine!
We hope to expand and continue to watch it grow together, as the amazing community we are.
