Serena Jost writes and performs songs. A dynamic singer and cellist with a hauntingly beautiful voice, she is a unique performer whose music evokes vivid emotional landscapes. In 2018 she completed a solo album of songs for voice and cello recorded at St. Peter's Church in Chelsea, NYC. Recorded by Adam Gold and mixed by Chris D. Butler, Up To The Sky received many rave reviews, "one could be persuaded that the church was designed with the eerily predictive intention of helping shepherd this one piece of work into the world." (Stereo Embers) Her previous album, A Bird Will Sing, was produced by the legendary Anton Fier (Golden Palominos) and recorded with her band, Julian Maile, Rob Jost and Robert DiPietro. Brad Albetta produced her debut, Closer Than Far.

The pandemic dramatically changed the lives of so many including performing musicians. Serena was honored to be an online featured guest with Circles of Support (Australia) and the Bushwick Book Club London during this time. Most recently in May 2021, Serena was a featured performer at Bogardus Plaza, NYC, a beautiful new public space designed by Signe Nielson (Little Island) and was the featured musical guest at Rose Garden, Hastings-on-Hudson. In July she performed at Five Myles, BK. Plans are underway for Fall 2021 recording sessions and live band shows.

A long time New Yorker who grew up between The Midwest and Switzerland, Serena has walked along the Great Lakes, over mountain passes and loves to take to the streets of NYC. She has performed in Europe and the UK and throughout the US and Canada. Serena has been onstage at seminal NYC venues such as Joe’s Pub, Rockwood Music Hall, The Owl, Barbès, The Swiss Consulate, The Living Room, Pete’s Candy Store, Tonic, and The Kitchen. Collaborators include poet Dan Machlin (Immanent Audio, Ugly Duckling Presse), jazz wonder Matt Kanelos and numerous dancers, including Douglas Dunn and Kathryn Sanders (Wally Cardona).  Together with composer/cellist Matthew Robinson, she led a 50-cello performance on Governor's Island. She was an original member of Rasputina..


 


 

"the Elizabeth Barrett Browning of avant-classical folk" Stereo Ember Magazine

"It was as if she stepped off a cliff into the musical abyss–and lived to tell."  WUSB-FM Finn Miller, TwirlRadio.com   

"Imagine mixing the sound of Mary Hopkin with the haunting sound of Nico, and you might begin to have some idea what the overall vibe is like. This time around, she stands alone with her cello presenting music that is real, personal, and immediately effective. While Jost's previous albums were more commercial, our guess is that Up To The Sky will be one of the high points in her career."  Baby Sue 

"a collection of composed and improvised pieces that marry her distinctive playing style with her otherworldly voice."  KMUW, Jedd Beaudoin (Wichita's NPR Station)

“seamlessly merging classical and pop melodies” —Lucidculture
"Jost gets props for her cello work, but she’s also a brilliant singer – at Joe’s Pub, she and her full band soared and occasionally roared through the songs on her sensationally good new album A Bird Will Sing."  New York Music Daily
"Serena Jost writes gently eccentric songs and sings them in an elegant alto, often accompanying herself on cello, but it isn’t quite right to call her a singer-songwriter. The term art song—normally tied to 19th-century concert music—usefully characterizes Jost’s carefully arranged pieces and succinct lyrics, neither quite rock nor folk" Time Out NY