Bio
Originally from the south side of Chicago, Ferrante studied Theater and Voice at Northwestern University and later worked in production at the Sundance Theater Institute and Goodman Theater (at the Art Institute of Chicago). Ferrante emerged on the D.C. music scene in 2011, when she opened opened for Birds of Chicago.
2015 was a breakout year for Ferrante. She began her residency at D.C.’s Mansion on O Street. Her monthly performances quickly evolved into a live radio show on the UK’s West Norfolk Radio-- recorded from the Mansion. Her Americana Radio Show podcast, which tallied 100 downloads per day, featured national and regional artists. She shared the mic with Grammy and Academy Award-winners like Paul Williams, Mark Bryan (Hootie & the Blowfish), Tom Constanten (Grateful Dead), and songwriter Jack Tempchin of The Eagles.
In 2016 Ferrante returned to theater, as the lead in "Rain Follows the Plow: A Dust Opera" at the D.C. Atlas Performing Arts Center, to national acclaim.
“Caroline Ferrante (Ruth) makes the strongest vocal impression, and ….(relays) stories and emotions in a natural, organic way. Her crystal clear voice and no-kidding lyric interpretation skills made "Impossible Sky" and "Can It Be?" two of the highlights for me.”
- Jennifer Perry, Broadway World (Jul 10, 2016)
In November 2016, Ferrante’s song “Brighter Day” debuted in the play “Goddess Diaries” at George Mason University, and was released as a single. A month later, Ferrante was selected to represent the Washington DC area with the International Acoustic Guitar Project with her song “Savage Beauty.”
In 2017 Ferrante joined Jim Ellis on lead guitar and John Dahlman on bass in a new iteration- "The Whole Magilla". The band quickly moved up the ranks: showcased at the Washington Folk Festival, Fairfax Festival, Singer-Songwriter Cape May Festival, Northeastern Folk Alliance, Dewey Beach Music Festival, Clarendon Day Festival, Takoma Porch Festival, Silvana (Harlem), Bushwick Publick House (Brooklyn), Lovecraft NYC (LES), & Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center.
Caroline's June 2017 EP release, "Sky" achieved national acclaim:
“A substantive statement from an important recording artist.”
- No Depression (April 4, 2018)
“One of the indie folk scene’s brightest songwriting talents”
- Cashbox Magazine, Canada (April 8, 2018)
“Caroline Ferrante is a master of her craft.”
- Middle Tennessee Music (Nov 26, 2017)
“Caroline Ferrante delivers an incredible kaleidoscope of color with the powerful “SKY”.”
- Skope Magazine (Nov 20, 2017)
“Caroline Ferrante Will Make Your Ears Smile”
- Indie Band Guru (Dec 14, 2017)
“Caroline’s voice sends shivers up your spine with an immaculate tone and emotive phrases.”
- Indie Spoonful (Nov 29, 2017)
Her single “Feels Like a Holiday” ranked #8 in the national “Top Ten Singles of 2017” award by Ark of Music.
Spring 2018 Ferrante’s music was selected by the Brooklyn boutique label, Leesta Vall, for the direct-to-vinyl Office Live Session series. Acoustic recordings from her previous CD releases are available on custom, lathe-cut vinyl. Her original, “Symphony,” from the 2017 “SKY”, was chosen by NAMI in Spring 2018 to feature in the production, “This is My Brave”. Ferrante's gospel four-song EP, "Beyond", released in May 2018 garnered the Wild Goose Festival/Convergence Music Project 2nd place for "River Flow".
In the Fall of 2018, Ferrante collaborated with producer Austin Bello on The Empathy Project- exploring the power of empathy, and the perspective that comes with seeing things from the “flip side”. The Empathy Project was funded by a grant from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, and In Honor of Her, Inc.
Currently, Ferrante is a full-time national teaching artist with the Wolf Trap Foundation and Young Audiences of Maryland, where she explores her indigenous roots through multidisciplinary performances and residencies.