Aurora Barnes

New York City-based singer, songwriter and activist Aurora Barnes has always been fascinated by the ability of musicians to capture complex emotions and the spirit of a particular moment in history. Raised in uptown Manhattan, she was surrounded by passionate members of civil rights, women’s rights, labor and anti-war movements, learning early on the importance of a lifelong commitment to political and social activism. Growing up on everyone from Bob Dylan to Stephen Sondheim, Nina Simone to Bonnie Raitt, Aurora grew to understand that the words she spoke and the ones she wrote must be deliberate and meaningful.

Aurora is also the founder of the non-profit organization, GirlsTalk/GuysTalk, designed to encourage students, 11-21, over the course of the school year, to have a stake in themselves and a member of Justice League NYC, a task force of juvenile and criminal justice advocates, artists and experts, and formerly incarcerated individuals, brought together under the banner of The Gathering for Justice, a social justice organization founded by Harry Belafonte in 2005.

As a solo artist, Aurora has performed at many venues, including Central Park’s Summerstage, the Kennedy Center, Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Bryant Park, Rockwood Music Hall and The Apollo Theater. She has also made appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, The Conan O'Brien Show and VH1's Concert of the Century and Fashion Awards. She has shared the stage with Madonna, Gloria Estefan, N’ Sync and Wyclef Jean and has collaborated with artists including pianist Jonathan Batiste and guitarist Julian Lage.

Her recent EP, Fair Game is available on iTunes.

www.aurorabarnes.com