Sariyah Idan's album release with projections by Monica Rose Kelly

An evening of multi-disciplined performance: evocative songs performed solo by New Orleans based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sariyah Idan with projection by Monica Rose Kelly. Improvised live light painting will illuminate the stunning architecture of The Church at Hotel Peter & Paul and add layers of meaning to the music. Join us to celebrate Sariyah's new album “Live In Berlin”!

Tickets: $15-25 (advanced) $20-30 (at door) suggested donation NOTAFLOF

Doors: 7:00pm

Concert: 7:30pm

The two part album “Live In Berlin” honors two cities that have shaped Sariyah as an artist, New Orleans and Berlin. It includes many of her original songs first released on her studio albums recorded with a full band, as well as covers of songs she finds poignant for the times we live in. A regular and beloved French Quarter street performer, Sariyah was inspired to record this solo live album to honor the audiences and architecture that has shaped her solo sound playing on Royal St. It was recorded in Berlin where her long-time sound engineer and co-producer lives. Selections for the night include both songs from the album and other songs.

Monica Rose Kelly has served the music community of New Orleans for 15 years and has most recently been commissioned by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Her “live light painting” combines projection mapping with digital painting and video art, improvising visual compositions in real time with live music.

From the hills of Woodstock NY, now based in the New Orleans swamp, Sariyah Idan is an awarded singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and captivating performer. Jazz and folk trained, hip-hop educated, and influenced by Latinx/Caribbean sounds and her Jewish roots, she possesses an "ability to seamlessly combine a wide variety of disparate styles and sonics into a memorable sound all her own," (Tinnitist). She views honoring traditions of both influences and ancestors as a form of cultural activism. Her lyricism is hailed as "powerful, soulful, spirited songs filled with stories of struggle, love and social justice" (Fusicology).

Sariyah’s music has featured on NPR, WWOZ, Pacifica, college and online radio. She has rocked iconic venues The Kennedy Center (DC), Skirball Cultural Center (Los Angeles), Nuyorican Poets Cafe (NYC), PANDA Platforma (Berlin), The Jazz Museum (New Orleans). Since 2023 she has produced and hosts the monthly multi-genre round-robin “Songs For The People” benefitting local community organizations. “Breaking Shadows” (2019) her debut solo LP addressing trauma and patriarchy was recorded in Los Angeles, Berlin, and Lisbon. “Glitter & Blood” (2023) about transitions and healing was recorded in New Orleans as a continued collaboration with Berlin engineer Andy Schlegel.

Ms Idan has shared stages with legends Pete Seeger, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Yusef Lateef. When not touring or playing local venues she plays the famed busking scene on Royal St. and is known among locals and tourists as “the most hauntingly beautiful voice of the French Quarter streets.”

Monica Rose Kelly is a New Orleans-based artist whose practice spans mural-making, illustration, projection art, and collaborative public art projects. Her work engages historical narratives, spiritual archetypes, and the interplay of visual art with music. She has served the music community of New Orleans for 15 years and has most recently been commissioned by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Monica’s innovative new modality of “live light painting” combines projection mapping with digital painting and video art, improvising visual compositions in real time with live music.

Monica’s personal work, including the series Flora Arcana, investigates the relationship between the Divine Feminine and the natural world, depicting women with plants and flowers traditionally used for emotional and spiritual healing. Flora Arcana premiered as a satellite exhibition of Prospect 4 New Orleans and continues to evolve in dialogue with the women reflected in the series.

A BFA graduate in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design, Monica also studied painting and printmaking and worked professionally in graphic design. She is deeply invested in mentoring emerging artists and fostering collaborative creative practices that amplify underrepresented voices and explore the social, cultural, and transformative power of art. Her murals and public artworks can be seen throughout New Orleans, contributing to the city’s cultural landscape and public dialogue.

Built in the late 1`9th century as a Catholic chuch complex with a school, it is now a boutique hotel with a bar, restaurant, and a beautiful event space in the old church. Events include concerts, yoga classes, weddings, and more.

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