Kesang Marstrand

After discovering her passion for music via a piano in the common room of a schoolhouse in Colorado, Kesang Marstrand knew that it would be an inseparable part her life. As a teen, she entertained the hope of one day becoming a classical pianist and composer, but her family’s move to New York City while she was in high school prompted her to exchange the piano for the ever-more-mobile acoustic guitar. Born in Woodstock, New York, to a Danish mother and Tibetan father, the young musician sought out inspiration that was as varied as her cultural background. With artists like David Bowie, Patsy Cline, Ani DiFranco, and classical artists, both Eastern and Western, to guide her, she began to write her own songs and to explore the possibilities her guitar and voice offered her.
Kesang Marstrand has been writing and performing for the past decade. In November of 2008, she released her debut album, «Bodega Rose», a contemplative, acoustic work that includes accompaniment by renowned musician and composer, Karl Berger. The album, in addition to eleven original tracks, also includes a cover song, a sparse, down-tempo version of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson’s collaboration, «Say Say Say». In 2009, Kesang Marstrand released «Hello Night», a collection of twelve captivating lullabies. The album received excellent reviews and was selected as Number 6 on About.com’s Top 10 Best Kids’ Music of 2009.

Kesang Marstrand moved to Tunisia last year where she is becoming a recognized figure on the cultural scene. The awakening of the Tunisian people is providing her with boundless inspiration. At the height of the revolution, she released a moving interpretation of the Tunisian National Anthem. The interpretation became an overnight hit and was considered as the Tunisian revolution theme song.