Deborah Henson-Conant (“DHC”) is a GRAMMY©-Nominated one-woman orchestra. With electric harp, voice and a looper pedal that she layers sounds in real time, then weaves solo lines and vocals above it.
Visit Artist Website: hipharp.com
Her signature instrument is an 11lb carbon-fiber electric harp, designed specifically for her by the CAMAC Harp Company in France, it’s now one of the fastest-selling new harp models in the world and was named after her. In herTEDx talk she tells the story of how conceived of the instrument and what it took to bring it to reality.
Forget the demure harpist – forget the Classical Music — forget dozing off in the back row. Henson-Conant is a showman, entertainer and solid musician who’s been compared to musical greats from Leonard Bernstein to Elvis Presley.
Her voice is compared to Carly Simon and Joan Baez; her playing to Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix; and her humor to musical comedian Victor Borge and even Eddie Izzard.
Her shows, her life, her instrument, her workshops and her music are all about transformation — all tied together by powerful, funny, affirming stories and universal humor.
Legendary “Tonight Show” trumpeter Doc Severinsen calls her the “Wild Woman of the Harp,” iconic rock guitarist Steve Vai says she’s the “Jimi Hendrix of the Harp.” See her once and you’ll never look at a harp the same way again.
She’s toured with the Boston Pops, opened for Ray Charles at Tanglewood, jammed onstage with Bobby McFerrin and offstage with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.She’s been featured on television shows from Charlie Rose to Joan Rivers and “The View” and in two full-length PBS music specials.