My Brightest Diamond, the chamber pop band initiated in 2006 by Shara Nova, blends the talents of a classically trained vocalist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist and composer, crafting dazzling, shapeshifting music. With each song written and album released, she has resisted the conventions of genre, blending elements of rock, art pop, and chamber music into a sound totally her own.
In 2024, Shara has appeared in the stage show of Illinoise as a musical performer, singing and playing guitar in the musical based on Sufjan Stevens’ album of the same name, on which she originally appeared. Nova’s recent collaboration as co-composer and featured vocalist with the string orchestra A Far Cry on Nonesuch / New Amsterdam Records’ The Blue Hour garnered critical acclaim, receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Classical Album and securing a spot on NPR’s esteemed Top 10 Albums of 2022. The single “Black Sheep” was released in summer 2023 ahead of a fall tour with Wilco, and My Brightest Diamond will release a new album in the fall of 2024.
Beyond her music Ms. Nova contributes to the creative community through her SubStack newsletter, “Songs In 4 Dimensions,” offering insights into the realms of songwriting, creativity, and music production.