Reviews & Press

“The mood and theme of a song are what make it interesting, and Christel Veraart has this unique knack of imbibing the whole atmosphere around that theme while composing her music. It feels like she picks you up and transports right in the middle of that sonic flow–you feel the whole of your being wrapped in it.”

– Vivek Kumar, New Music Alert

“Listening to Taygete, the first track Christel Veraart’s new release The Pleiades felt like being inside a cosmic cathedral, but with a few exceptions. The height and breadth of this church is endless. The stained glass windows are made out of stars. And there is room for all the faithful of the universe. The capacity is infinite. The amount of grace from the participation in this phenomenon is immeasurable. In many instances Christel’s angelic, haunting voice blends with a soft harp to call to you and beckon to you to take part in the experience. I am now a believer”

— RJ Lannan, Artisan Music Reviews

“Pleiades is the result of allowing the soul to reach out, to ‘connect’ to the whispering to be discovered when allowing the mind to traversing the depths of space. Veraart sought out and discovered the magic of Pleiades calling to her and has used her vast background in vocal creativity to sing in ‘tongues’ recognisable to all who choose to listen, telling in a wonderfully rich and bewitching dreamscape the stories of the Seven Sisters.”

— Janet Mawdesley, Blue Wolf Reviews

“Sonically immersed in a divine feminine aura of sacred mystery, Pleiades is an engrossingly enchanting album best played at night and will unquestionably appeal to many fans of Lisa Gerrard, Áine Minogue and Hildegard von Bingen!”

— Candice Michelle, Journeyscapes Radio

“Veraart is a distinct new voice in the space-ambient scene, bringing an intimate chamber music feel to the genre. Her musical glossolalia will remind some of the secret-language vocalizations of Lisa Gerrard. A more apt comparison—also recommended—would be Jennifer Grais who has recorded with tribal ambient master Byron Metcalf, or Serena Gabriel (collab. w/Steve Roach). Like them, Veraart’s crystalline voice is strong enough to avoid the clichés of wispy-voiced new-age sirens.”

— Paul Asbury Seaman

“Christel’s music explores our emotional connection with the natural landscape, and how that shapes our moods, dreams and interactions. Her soundtrack really does bring “an awe-inspiring tone that celebrates the grandeur and bounty of the Alaskan landscape”. I didn’t want the narration to dominate the production and Christel’s score provided the perfect audio accompaniment to my visual work.”

— Mongabay – Interview with Tim Plowden

“We talked to the talented musician and composer Christel Veraart over an email regarding her latest album, Pleiades. How did she get the inspiration to compose the music and what all conspired during the process and how has been the reception among the listeners–we talked about it all.”

– Vivek Kumar, New Music Alert –Interview with Christel Veraart Regarding her Newest Album: Pleiades

“Extraordinarily beautiful on every level, this tribute to 7 stars in the Pleiades cluster, speaks to us in languages that may seem foreign to the ears, but not to the soul…”

— Dyan Garris, New Age CD

“Christel’s total talent brings brand-new perspectives to ambient music… her stunning vocal work will reach down deep inside of you and touch your heart…”

— Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion

“Christel musically interprets this famous star cluster known as ‘The Pleiades’, also known as ‘The ‘Seven Sisters’. You’ll experience some evocative choral vocals and melodic Synthonique instrumentation. ‘Lady-Hawke Dorthe’ and I adore this stellar album!” Recommended Tracks: “Asterope”, “Merope”, “Celaeno”, and Electra!” Hawke Rating: 10/10!

— Terry James Hawke, Ratings and Reviews HAWKE-FRIENDZ

“ … Pleiades” by Christel Veraart is a phenomenal ambient album! It is highly meditative and there is a lot of variation in sound without breaking the overall design… The need for a break from 24/7 newscasts and social media is perhaps even greater now than ever before. Christel Veraart’s “Pleiades” will take you mind lightyears away in an instant, guaranteed. That is a major accomplishment.”

— BT Fasmer, New Age Music Guide

“… Christel Veraart pays homage to the cluster of seven stars known as The Pleiades. Also known as “The Seven Sisters,” there is one track named for each sister and the messages that they whisper into the spheres … Soothing and ambient with more than a touch of magic, I can easily see this album hitting the top of the charts in no time!”

— Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano.com

“If you ever wanted to verify the power of sound in its tonality and vibration, this is where you can feel it–like a scoop of an earth-moving crane, Christel’s vocals carry you and transport to the starry worlds, where mysteries become mystical and unknown becomes the most cherished companion…” 

— VIVEK KUMAR, New Music Alert

“Christel Veraart travels all over the world, gathers her inspiration everywhere, and turns it into the finest music. World music of a different order that defies conventional genres.”

— Paul Weelen, Author

“I was very moved by your lullaby. Your music is enchanting and it brought back memories from my grandparents with whom I spoke Yiddish as a child. Although Hebrew is now our language in Israel, the world of the Jewish past still beats within my soul. I’m glad not everything is lost. Thank you for reviving this legacy through your music.”

— Nava Semel, Playwright The Child behind the Eyes

“You’ve written the music for the Alaskan landscape that I’ve always wanted to hear performed. I should say that I’ve also heard that music in some of the work of John Luther Adams…”

– Carl Ramm, Visual Artist

The strong and fluid sounds and imagery of ‘Polar Suite’ invite the impulse of movement to be realized. The rhythms of shifting ice, howling winds and flowing sea stir the dancers response to these powerful and universal forces. Images of beings float on these unique landscapes, adding emotional response and the awareness of it’s bonding power to unite all things.

– Elisa Monte, Artistic director and Co-Founder of Elisa Monte Dance

“In all my years of producing music, I have never seen a more dedicated and talented artist than Christel Veraart. She puts her heart into everything she writes, and her vulnerability touches my soul. Her songs stay with me for days after listening, like the memory of a good friend I can revisit over and over again.”

– Arthur Payson, Music Producer, Fox Television, Beverly Hills

“They say no meeting is a coincidence but when a meeting turns into a relationship as fine as we have it is a blessing. I cried the first time I heard my words being sung by Christel’s beautiful voice. She captures exactly the quality that I feel when I compose the meditation.”

– Ken McFarlane, Transformative Mediator

“Christel Veraart’s vivid musical compositions resonate visually, thus echoing a film score like one wave after another.”

– Heidi Hahn, Painter from the North

“Difícil achar palavras para descrever o que senti. Impressionante! Me pergunto como de tão longe, com ainda pouca informação nossa, você captou desta maneira a intensidade que gostaríamos de passar nesta cena… Muito obrigada.”

Translation: It’s difficult to find words to describe what I feel. Impressive! I ask myself how it is possible that from such a distance, with such little information from our side, you managed to capture the intensity we desired for this scene… Thank you very much!

– Marina Salgado, Dancer/Choreographer Frágil Des(Conforto)

“Christel Veraart, compositora que vive atualmente no Alaska e se inspira nas paisagens das imensidões geladas de onde vive para suas composições, trouxe a densidade sonora que precisávamos.”

Translation: Composer Christel Veraart, who currently lives in Alaska, was inspired by the landscapes of icy wilderness by which she is surrounded, found the sound textures we needed.

– Saiba Mais: Semanas de Dança – Frágil desconforto – 

“I listen to your music whenever I’m driving… I am starting to feel that the music creates a whole other world… It is this Alaskan landscapes idea. It could be a very beautiful film if we wanted to go out into places that an audience could be asked to hike to.”

– Becky Kendall, Artistic Director Momentum Dance Collective

“…Ya no se escuchó nada más que el canto de Christel. Era sorprende escuchar la fineza de la voz y ver ahí, sentados en las bancas, en el piso, en la piedra, absortos, maravillados, tanto a rancheros de la región, como a empresarios, algunos turistas, científicos, geólogos, historiadores, amas de casa y gente que ama profundamente esta región. Hacía más de 200 años que en esta misión, y en las demás, no se alababa a Dios de esta manera…”

– El Vigia, Ensenada, Carlos Lazcano

“…Actress Nava Sarracino, director Vivian Melde, and composer Christel Veraart will travel to Amsterdam at the end of November to participate in a series of events, shows and talks on Israeli culture honoring Semel. Veraart, the 2017 recipient of the Connie Boochever Fellowship and 2014 Individual Artist Award from the Rasmuson Foundation for music composition, originally scored a lullaby and recorded it in Yiddish.…”

– Indra Arriaga, Anchorage Press

“…The Child Behind the Eyes, which debuted in Anchorage in a production by RKP at Out North some moons ago, continues to be part of the work of Anchorage-based actress Nava Sarracino, director Vivian Melde, and composer Christel Veraart. The Anchorage productions in of The Child Behind the Eyes included post-show panels with representatives of the Alaska Down Syndrome Congress, Stone Soup Group, and Hope Studios; non-profit organizations that provide resources and assistance for differently-abled individuals..…”

– Indra Arriaga, Anchorage Press