Concrete Playground

My Brightest Diamond is the project of singer/composer Shara Worden. You might have seen her open for Sufjan Stevens a few years back at the Sydney Festival: she was the coiffured, young songstress that did a mix of rock, punk and heavily orchestrated, operatic pop. You could put her in the same bag as Tori Amos, Kate Bush or even Bjork. She also played in Sufjan's band, and he puts out her records on the label that he founded with his stepfather, Asthmatic Kitty.

Artists on the label share a common love of strings, pianos, harps and brass. They stretch the pop format, taking their roots in conventional songs and then experimenting with sounds and arrangements. This progressive approach has served Worden well, and has particularly caught the eye of Velvet Underground alumnus John Cale, who picked her to play a Nico tribute in Italy, and Cale's ol'-grumpy-bum partner in crime Lou Reed, who, along with Laurie Anderson, has asked My Brightest Diamond to perform at the Vivid Live Festival in June.