Alyssandra Nighswonger is a California singer-songwriter and2024 Professional Artist Fellow, supported by the Arts Council for Long Beach. The grant supports her newest studio album, Travel + Movement, anticipated to be released later in 2024, as well as a live @ Hotel Cafe EP. 

​

In June 2022, Nighswonger released Will You Stay, a collection of original songs lushed out with arrangements that feature the melotron, vibes, and vocal harmonies. In March 2020, she released Nighswonger Sings Nilsson, a tribute album for Harry Nilsson lovers. 

 

Nighswonger says, Will You Stay is an album about “the soft and bittersweet goodbyes you make to the part of yourself that you leave behind when a relationship ends, and the newness of embracing the world on your own again; it's the alchemy of a broken heart.” Recorded at the Compound Studio, this album captured the warm sound of the band playing the songs together live in the open airy room at The Compound Studio in Signal Hill, with studio owner, Antoine Arvizu (drums), Lono Archambault (bass), Matt Hill (guitar), Lili de la Mora-Archambault (backing vocals), and Heather Sommerhauser (backing vocals).  Inspired by influences like The Moody Blues and King Crimson, the work is immersed heavily in the Mellotron, played by LA multi-instrumentalist and producer, Fernando Perdomo. To create Nighswonger’s whimsical universe, the album also has R. Scott Dibble on Hammond B3 Organ, Joy Shannon on harp and percussionist, Slam, on vibraphone.

 

Nighswonger Sings Nilsson was recorded at BIG EGO Studios and co-produced with studio owner, Chris Schlarb. According to Aquarium Drunkard, “Nighswonger Sings Nilsson is a well-nigh perfect tribute to Harry — just the right balance of irreverence and reverence, silliness and melancholy. You could call it Nilssonian! (Or Shchmilssonian?) Alyssandra Nighswonger’s beautiful vocals are up to the task of matching Harry’s dazzling range, but she manages to put her own spin on the proceedings… This lp will definitely put a smile on your face—and I think Harry himself would approve.” 

 

Also in her past, Alyssandra hosted an Open Mic at Viento y Agua Coffee House for 10 years. She has collaborated with Long Beach music acts, The Dovelles, Lucky Penny, Ellen Warkentine and the Balboa Amusement Company Orchestra. In 2012, she embarked on a 1,450-mile music-tour by bicycle down the West Coast from Seattle, WA to Long Beach, CA. To celebrate the release of her first two albums, Alssandra and the Daymakers and When My Love Knot Slips, she hosted a series of multi-media Vaudeville Spectaculars at the Historic Art Theatre in Long Beach CA.