Renowned GRAMMY-nominated folk singer Eliza Gilkyson released her 20th album, SECULARIA, on July 13 via Red House Records. Following The Nocturne Diaries, the album continues Gilkyson’s long tradition of using folk music as a vivid reflection of the world around her. But SECULARIA turns its gaze inward as well, exploring spirituality, mortality, grief, gratitude, wonder, and our responsibility to one another without being bound by traditional religious doctrine. The album was recorded with what Gilkyson calls a “spare urban folk approach,” creating an intimate, contemporary sound that leaves plenty of room for her voice and lyrics. Rather than relying on dense production, the arrangements are deliberately restrained, allowing individual instruments and performances to carry emotional weight. Gilkyson assembled a remarkable group of Austin musicians for the sessions, including Chris Maresh, Warren Hood, Kym Warner of The Greencards, Andre Moran, Mike Hardwick, Betty Soo, and others. Their playing gives the record an organic roots foundation while adding subtle textures that keep the sound contemporary and atmospheric. Several of the album’s most memorable moments came from deeply personal collaborations. The internationally acclaimed Tosca String Quartet contributes a stunning string performance, adding an expansive, almost cinematic dimension to the songs. Shawn Colvin and gospel singer Sam Butler make vocal appearances, while Gilkyson shares a poignant duet with her longtime friend, the late Jimmy LaFave. His presence gives the album an especially emotional resonance, capturing a musical friendship that extended far beyond the recording studio. SECULARIA also reaches across generations of Gilkyson’s family. Two songs are adapted from poetry written by her grandmother, Phoebe Hunter Gilkyson, and co-written with Eliza’s father, legendary folksinger and songwriter Terry Gilkyson. These pieces connect Eliza’s contemporary songwriting to her family’s long musical and literary legacy, making the album feel like both a personal statement and a continuation of an artistic lineage. The songs move through grief and loss toward gratitude, compassion, and wonder, challenging listeners to consider a spirituality rooted not in doctrine but in connection—to other people, to the natural world, and to the consequences of our choices. SECULARIA ultimately feels like an intimate studio document of an artist taking stock of a complicated world and searching for meaning within it. With its combination of stripped-down production, extraordinary musicianship, personal collaborations, and spiritually searching songwriting, SECULARIA is both a continuation of Gilkyson’s career and a new chapter in her artistic evolution: thoughtful, deeply human, and unafraid to ask difficult questions.
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