“Singing in a variety of foreign lyrics from the 13th and 15th centuries, Drakulich has as singular a vocal style as Lisa Gerrard does, but with the added allure of a siren.”
—Alternative Press
“I have no explanation for my stunned reaction when vocalist Sonja Drakulich sang her first note at the Vault, other than that this was the first definitive proof I’ve seen that such a perfect voice does, in fact, come from a human being. Drakulich stepped on the Vault stage looking a little like Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings, quickly winning the audience over with her world-class singing and unpretentious stage presence. One of the most impressive tricks she pulled out was a highly disciplined vocal waver: imagine an impressionist voice painting of a flickering candle flame.”
— Good Times, “Music Seen”
“Drakulich’s diaphanous soprano curves in fractalized spirals one minute and soars in heavenside choirs the next.”
— John Diliberto, Echoes
Her voice is at a never-ending peak of clarity and luminosity, from soft, distant and tailing off into the night, to lively and ignited by fires that burn brightly within.
— Lloyd Barde, Common Ground Magazine
Sonja Drakulich’s lead vocals intoxicate with ornate embellishments and exotic harmonic overdubs. The lyrics and melodies are inspired by Medieval music from Galicia, Persia, Jewish Spain, and Croatia…
— New Age Voice
Drakulich chants a sumptuous Galician vocal from the 13th century, then slips into Judeo-Spanish, a 15th century tongue. Whether it be Persian or Croatian, Drakulich’s voice makes the transition an easy and beautiful one.
— Thrust—Record Roundup
Exotic instruments have been carefully and gently molded to form an other-worldly base for the evocative, gossamer, rich-as-a-golden-bell voice of Sonja Drakulich.
— Anodyne

Baku - Autumn 2016

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INTERVIEW WITH WORLD MUSIC ENSEMBLE STELLAMARA

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Common Ground Magazine

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“Having enjoyed Stellamara’s ethereal world beat exotica on CD for some years now, I have no explanation for my stunned reaction when vocalist Sonja Drakulich sang her first note at the Vault, other than that this was the first definitive proof I’ve seen that such a perfect voice does, in fact, come from a human being. Drakulich stepped on the Vault stage looking a little like Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings, quickly winning the audience over with her world-class singing and unpretentious stage presence. One of the most impressive tricks she pulled out was a highly disciplined vocal waver: imagine an impressionist voice painting of a flickering candle flame. She and the other half of Stellamara’s core, multi-instrumental string lord Gari Hegedus, were joined by two lively percussionists and a new member, cellist Rufus Cappadocia, who exorcised notes from his instrument with a near obsessive passion.”

Good TimesMusic Seen

“Stellamara is a Bay Area band creating a world music of the imagination: filtered through eastern European refrains, spun in Persian grooves, blended in medieval modalities, and supercharged by San Franciscan world music sensibilities. All this is centered by the vocal incantations of Sonja Drakulich…Much of Stellamara’s music and lyrics are based on traditional melodies and sung in the original languages, such as the Bulgarian lament “Zablejalo mi Agance” and the love-torn Hungarian cry of “Szerelem.” Drakulich’s diaphanous soprano curves in fractalized spirals one minute and soars in heavenside choirs the next. Meanwhile, Gari Hegedus is a stringed wonder, playing saz, baglama, oud, violin, and just about anything else from the Asian diaspora you can pluck or bow. It’s been seven years since Stellamara’s debut album, Star of the Sea. But despite some personnel changes, including the departure of Jeffrey Stott (who went on to found Lumin), they continue their exotic fusion, like a global gypsy troupe lost in time.”

John Diliberto, EchoesEditorial Review at Amazon.com

“Stellamara manages to maintain a balance of reverence for the music of other people’s cultures with a haunting elegance of expression….”

Electronic Musician

“Stellamara is a global symphony spun through minarets and grounded in the earth. Five stars.”

John DilbertoEchoes

“I have no explanation for my stunned reaction when vocalist Sonja Drakulich sang her first note at the Vault, other than that this was the first definitive proof I’ve seen that such a perfect voice does, in fact, come from a human being. Drakulich stepped on the stage looking a little like Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings, quickly winning the audience over with her world-class singing and unpretentious stage presence. One of the most impressive tricks she pulled out was a highly disciplined vocal waver: imagine an impressionist voice painting of a flickering candle flame.”

Music SeenGood Times

“Evocative, gossamer, rich-as-a-golden-bell voice of Sonja Drakulich.”

Anodyne

“Singing in a variety of foreign lyrics from the 13th and 15th centuries, Drakulich has as singular a vocal style as Lisa Gerrard does, but with the added allure of a siren.”

Alternative Press