Wren Black

There aren’t many things that Wren Black is reserved about, and that proves especially true when it comes to her music. Born in 1991 as Shelby Balash, the Cleveland, Ohio raised singer/songwriter had a passion for performing that blossomed at a very young age. Wren was constantly looking for the stage, whether it be for acting, speaking, or of course, music. Growing up with 90’s alternative while pulling from an eclectic library of influences from other eras helped her create her unique pop-alternative sound. After attending Cleveland State University as a theatre major from 2011 until 2013, Wren traded in the spotlight for travel. Living in places such as Norfolk, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina showed her a new side to life, but it wasn’t very long before she started missing the music. She found an outlet with her ukulele, learning and performing diverse cover songs before she eventually switched to writing her own music. Inspiration was everywhere to Wren, finding pieces of herself in David Bowie, Tool, Fiona Apple, Queen, and others. Her taste in an array of music helped mold not only her lyrics, but her performance style and emotion as well. In late 2015, she met producer, Mike Krompass, while Uber driving in Charleston. A conversation about music sparked almost immediately, and it wasn’t long before the two decided they wanted to collaborate. In January of 2016, Wren and Mike began work on her debut album. After meeting Wren and hearing the first pieces of the project, producer Robbie Nevil also joined the team. The two producers proved to be the perfect fit for Wren and her music, helping to create the organic, distinct tracks that stay true to her not only as an artist, but as an individual. By the end of October 2016, Wren had released her first single to the world, a ballad titled ‘Lie To Me’. An emotional song utilizing only piano and strings, Wren’s powerhouse voice perfectly contrasted with the intimacy the instruments provided. The raw emotion in her singing took the track to the next level, making it not only beautiful, but relatable to many as well. Soon after, a video for the single was shot in Warsaw, Poland with director Łukasz Pytlik, and was released by late November 2016. 'Executioner' is out now! Watch it on YouTube! tinyurl.com/WBExe