In the summer of 2014, New Zealander Nick Stone and Coloradan Dani Cichon met as volunteers building greenhouses in South America. There, on a Peruvian rooftop, the two musicians wrote their first of many songs together; a song that would one day become South for Winter’s first single, “Fallen Seeds.”
After years spent pursuing separate musical projects, Stone and Cichon re-joined in Christchurch, New Zealand as a duo. The two soon moved the project to Nashville TN, where they met cellist Alex Stradal. Stradal rounded out the eclectic blend of instrumentation and vocals that has since become so characteristic of their music, and the sound and entity of South for Winter were officially born. As a trio, they hit the road; completing hundreds of shows and touring throughout nearly every U.S. state, Canada, and New Zealand within their first few years.
Often described as “folk-blues," "folk-jazz," or “Renaissance,” South for Winter's songs are intoned with a depth of emotion and richness of experience that invites listeners into the story - eager and anxious in turn with each verse. In a landscape saturated with incredible songwriters and musicians, South for Winter have developed a sound all of their own. With meticulously crafted lyrics, captivating natural charisma, and an impressive assortment of instruments at their command, South for Winter have time and time again established themselves as a crowd favorite.
The band has landed accolades such as an Official Artist at South by Southwest Music Festival in 2023; Finalist for “Best Group/Duo” in the 2023 International Acoustic Music Awards; Semi-Finalist in the 2022 International Songwriting Competition; Official Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance International in 2022; Top DJ Pick by John Platt of NYC’s WFUV in 2021; and “Most Wanted” Emerging Artist at Falcon Ridge Festival in 2019. Their music has been praised by sites such as American Songwriter ("laden with delicate harmonies, intricate guitar-work, and earthy vocals... impeccable sound"), NoDepression ("must-see artist"), For the Love of Bands ("a wonderful mix of indie and folk rock"), Grateful Web ("eclectic in the best sense of the word"), AmericanaUK ("An ethereal, dreamy, journey...a journey well-worth taking"), Relix Magazine, and DittyTV. The band has toured both nationally and internationally from 2018-2023, with recent highlights including Mile of Music Festival (Appleton WI), Meadowgrass Festival (Black Forest CO), Lake Orion Music Festival with the Rainbow Girls (Lake Orion MI), The Ark in Ann Arbor MI, and a sold-out show at City Winery's Lounge in Nashville TN. 2023 tours have included shows in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark, Poland, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.
South for Winter re-entered the studio in 2022 with GRAMMY award-winning producer Matt Leigh for their sophomore album, Of Sea and Sky. In Summer 2023 they successfully reached over 140% of their Kickstarter goal to independently release the album. The first two singles, "Something in the Stars" and "Underneath the Blood Moon", are out now - with the full album due in Spring 2024.
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