To be compared to icons of the music industry such as Tina Turner and Etta James is no mean feat when you have just dropped your debut album. Chicago native Skylar Rogers achieves that and so much more with her 2021 release ‘Firebreather’, and as 2022 rolls around, there is no doubt that her infectious blend of soul-rocking blues is about to amaze audiences around the globe.
Finding your place on the Blues scene requires a rich vein of history to draw on, and like many of her heroes, she has lived through pain and suffering to become the artist she is today. Raised in the church and told she couldn’t sing because she wasn’t the right fit, Skylar’s life took many unexpected twists and turns before she settled once again into the world that brought her so much joy.
Raised by a mother who also sang, her journey through divorce, a life in the military, the death of a child, truck driving and homelessness, all taught her lessons that can never be forgotten. After a near fatal bout of pneumonia and being diagnosed with several autoimmune diseases, she decided to live life on her own terms. She was determined not to be bound by others’ expectations and this rebellious spirit is evident in all the music she makes. Moving to Memphis and immersing herself in the rich tapestry of Beale Street, Skylar drank from the intoxicating waters around her and began her long march to musical salvation.
With a voice that grips the soul and fills you with the energy and passion that only rocking blues can provide, one of the highlights of her career so far has been sharing a stage with Kevin Burt, Anne Harris, Ben Rice, Paul DesLauriers, Annika Chambers-DesLariers, and Terrie Odabi at the All Star Showcase at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas. To work alongside such timeless artists is all the testament you need to evaluate the skills she has in her pocket.
Nominated for a Blues Blast Award and being considered by the Grammy committee for her song ‘Like Father, Like Daughter’, and for her album in the Contemporary Blues category, she has arrived on the grandest of stages. Writing from her own perspective and experiences, there is no doubt that she will be a regular feature on the red carpet as she breaks new ground with every step she makes.
With the hiatus of the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, Skylar Rogers and her band of extraordinary musicians are ready to take to the road again and explode onto the festival circuit. Now is the moment for her extraordinary talents to shine. Discover her work in all its glory and find a world that has all the sassiness of a woman determined to make the most of every opportunity. This is her moment and the sky’s the limit.
"Skylar Rogers has a lot of energy and pizzazz. She brings a raw honesty to every performance. The blues world betta look out!" - Annika Chambers, 2019 Blues Music Award winner