JUSTINA MARIA SOTO, Woodsy Rain, MICKEY BLUE

Justina Maria Soto is an r&b/indie singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY.


It wasn’t until she embraced her Pacific Northwest roots that New York-based songwriter, AnneMarie Kelbon finally found her way: on an unbeaten path between the familiar genres of Indie-folk, Americana, and Roots Rock. The moniker, Woodsy Rain gives off a somewhat late sixties, early seventies vibe as well as a fair clue to where she hails from. It also pairs nicely with the bohemian cowgirl, rock chic style adorned by Woodsy on and off the stage.

Recently, WR released her debut self-titled EP that hosts such topics as her Evergreen childhood, dealing with growing older and living far from family, wintertime melancholy, and staying strong in the race of life as a woman.

The EP is a four track journey, each one sonically different from the next. It begins with a staged “live-setting” bar scene performance of the song ‘Chin Up’, a fast paced country song that encourages women to be strong and confident. Track two comes in with a fat, sexy bass lick that lays down the groove for ‘Back Home’, a bluesy rock tune that starts out slow but ends in full force cymbal smashing and a vocal array. Next up is ‘When Summertime Rolls Around’, a catchy, pensive song featuring an electric guitar with a Mark Knopfler smoothness. To wrap it all up is indie-folk tune ‘Evergreen Memories’, a nostalgic song with a journey of its own, encompassing a spacey acoustic guitar/vocal vibe that falls into a deep, feel good groove. The EP makes a great introduction to Ms. Kelbon and has an absorbing energy that will leave you feeling that you’ve met and understand what Woodsy Rain is all about.