IN THE PRESS
"Magnetic, compelling. People are just drawn to the sound of her voice. She's the real thing." -- Bob Power, multi-platinum and Grammy record mixer/producer
“This imaginative pop maestro's delivery and message are so delightfully refreshing that it's hard to remember she's working from the pop music playbook.” SHAWN TELFORD, Seattle Sound Magazine
"Incredible! Her songwriting sensibilities are the ilk of Edie Brickell, Carol Bayer Sager, and Joni Mitchell. And her voice just soars! You've got to invest your time to hear this." -- Q-tip, A Tribe Called Quest and solo Artist
“With musical compositions that combine the energy of early punk with the slickness of modern pop, she creates music that is perfect for now.” VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE
Forget all that compared to this and that stuff, Wittgens is her own voice and it’s one you’ll be glad to hear. Hot stuff from a newcomer that’s sure to be around for a while. – CHRIS SPECTOR, Midwest Record
"Andrea Wittgens' guileless vocals and cheeky lyrics make her latest effort as effervescent as a bottle of Dr. Pepper opened at 9,000 feet. With musical compositions that combine the energy of early punk with the slickness of modern pop, she creates music that is perfect for now. All 12 original songs here feature a relaxed, natural approach coupled with a theatrical edge. The overall mood is quirky, yet polished in a way alien from a typical singer/songwriter album. Wittgens' sensibility is closer to Tori Amos than Nancy Griffith. Songs such as "Creature Feature" have a pop sparkle as well as a level of musical sophistication that mixes various genres in a uniquely cohesive manner. Multiple time signatures, key changes, and occasionally dense orchestration make each song an aural journey rather than merely another pop ditty. Co-produced by Bob Power, guitarist Vincent Gates, and Wittgens, the album was recorded in several studios, but all the tunes share a rich aural palette. Liberal use of mellotrons, farfisas, and string quartets add a sonic depth that makes every tune special. If you're expecting a singer's showcase or song-driven album, In The Skyline will come as a surprise. It accomplishes something few contemporary albums achieve: a cohesive and unique musical statement that defies labels and simple descriptions. - Steven Stone VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE
ANDREA WITTGENS / In the Skyline: You want to know what it is you dig about Wittgens and her music but can’t put your finger on it? Suppose Lisa Loeb had something to back it up beside the glasses and the short dress. Got it? Witty and engaging singer/songwriter brings to bear on the weighty things that weigh today’s young people down, but she veers toward how to escape from it as opposed to just kvetching about it. Certainly one of those low key affairs that sneak up on you out of the box and keep you on board. Forget all that compared to this and that stuff, Wittgens is her own voice and it’s one you’ll be glad to hear. Hot stuff from a newcomer that’s sure to be around for a while. – Chris Spector, Midwest Record
"This Canadian-born, Seattle-based singer/songwriter/keyboardist has a fresh, beguiling voice that adds depth and personality to her tunes while her musical approach will keep your interest from beginning to end. Born in Nova Scotia and schooled in Ontario, Wittgens moved to Seattle in the mid-‘90s where she joined Sugartown. After five years, she struck out on her own with the 2006 EP “Alibi.” From the opening of the clever “Punchline,” the full-length follow up is chock full of songs based around her voice and piano - and, with wonderfully creative arrangements and instrumentation paint one vivid picture after another. “Empires of Straw” adds a string quartet while, in the middle of the quirky “Marching Orders,” she adds a gorgeous choral interlude. With a tip of the hat to Brecht, Jellyfish and maybe even XTC, Wittgens’ music is a soundtrack for a waiting room in a bordello or perhaps a carnival. Throughout the dozen tracks, the ideas and creativity seem to flow effortlessly, from the rock edge to “Blue-Eyed Fool” and the meticulously orchestrated “Everything Is Relative to You.” The Beatlesque “Beautiful You” sounds precisely like its title: With a flanged, almost liquid guitar line, the songs ebbs and swells from nothing but Wittgens voice to a beautiful ensemble. – Michael Lipton, CHARLESTON GAZETTE
"Strength can be commanding, but so can eloquence. Especially when a silver tongue rides a voice that flitters with the wonderful unpredictability of a butterfly and the laser precision of, well, a laser. Such is the case for Seattle's Andrea Wittgens, whose two greatest assets (her voice and her pen) both underline and elevate each other. Her poetry is thoughtful, genuine and, on many occasions, as playful as a cabaret. Meanwhile, her pop ambitions are never too obvious; in fact, they're often obfuscated by chamber-sized orchestrations that oscillate between classically minded, grand strategies and flashy accoutrements. Beneath her penchant for torch songs and love songs is a tendency toward writing about unreal realms as diverse as Oz, Mordor and B-movies. This imaginative pop maestro's delivery and message are so delightfully refreshing that it's hard to remember she's working from the pop music playbook." Shawn Telford, SEATTLE SOUND MAGAZINE
"Exquisitely evocative of the finest popmeisters of the past three decades. Music that is very new and fresh, unlike anything I've ever heard before." -- Bill Fisher, VICTORY REVIEW
BIOGRAPHY
Common wisdom in the entertainment business dictates if you can't describe it in two sentences, go back to the boards and refine your pitch. However, those experienced and well traveled in the business know that in truth, it's the ones that you can't describe easily that are the true and lasting artists.
New York City-based alt-pop artist Andrea Wittgens is surely one of those artists. Armed with witty yet disarmingly honest lyrics and a voice that simply soars, Wittgens creates songs that are refreshingly unique and infectiously accessible. Compared to artists as varied as PJ Harvey and Rufus Wainwright, she is a sonic shapeshifter. Over the course of her career, Andrea has written and released over 150 songs, toured extensively throughout North America, recorded with Grammy-nominated producers, and had her songs woven into Disney movies and network TV shows. A passionate teacher, she is committed to spreading the joy of songwriting and recording with her young students.
Originally from small town Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Andrea's earliest stage training was in classical piano and modern dance. She followed her studies all the way to a Music degree at Queen's University but always felt the pull to the noise wafting out the coffeehouses and basement clubs. Eventually moving to Seattle in the mid-90's, she cut her teeth as front woman for pop band Sugartown with whom she released EP “Blue-Eyed Fool” and critically acclaimed album “How Do You Love, Aquamarine?”
By the new millennium, Andrea was ready to step out on her own. She had also caught the attention of Grammy producer Bob Power (Erykah Badu, Tribe Called Quest) and in 2006 he produced her first solo album “Alibi”. The EP and Andrea's instantly arresting voice garnered excited reviews both in the Northwest and in her new home of New York City where she performed to packed houses on the lower east side. Shortly after, in 2008, she followed up with “In The Skyline”, a 12-song ode to escapism in a more visceral live band setting thanks to rock producer Johnny Sangster (Young Fresh Fellows, Mudhoney). The album also includes fan favorite “Comme tu veux” , an original song written in her second language of French.
In 2010, Andrea was invited to Sturgeon Bay, WI by Grammy-nominated songwriter pAt mAcDonald (Timbuk3) for an ambitious annual songwriting festival. Steel Bridge Songfest, along with its sister festivals Dark Songs and Love On Holiday, drew artists from all over the world including Jackson Browne and Jane Weidlan (The Gogos). Over the next decade, Andrea was a major contributor, co-writing and performing on over 100 tracks and 30 compilations. In 2016, drawing heavily on her collaborative writing, she released two EPs. “Girl In A Box”, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Geoff Stanfield weaves darker lyrical material into cinematic soundscapes while sister EP “Grace”, produced by longtime collaborator Vincent Gates, explores the spiritual realm with more lush gospel-infused instrumentation.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected creative isolation and for the first time in over a decade, Andrea re-immersed herself in deeply personal solo writing. The result was a remarkable canon of new works to be released over several projects in 2023/2024 including a much anticipated full length album recorded in Joshua Tree with vocal producer Ainjel Emme (John Legend, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs). Concurrently, she is finishing an EP of solo piano recordings from live sessions in Milwaukee as well as a boisterous album with Atlanta rock darlings The Steady Wicked. Lastly, Andrea recently teamed up with artists Kate Vargas and Eric McFadden to score the short film “Little Mouse” which premiered at the Dances With Films Festival in December of 2022 and won the Audience Choice award.
For a complete Discography and Recording Resume click HERE