Heather Kropf

Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter Heather Kropf grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the daughter of Mennonites. A student of classical piano and fine art, her approach to pop songwriting is intuitive rather than schooled. Early influences included Joni Mitchell, Sade and Suzanne Vega. She has opened for many artists including Bettye LaVette, The Weepies and Chris Smither and was an original guest host of the popular AcoustiCafe Open Stage at Pittsburgh’s Club Cafe. Her passion for music has extended to community projects such as Fair Play Pittsburgh, which she co-founded with Christiane Leach and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Her most recent album Lights (2017) is a sonically arresting and luminous collection of songs about social and personal unrest and growth, produced and mixed by Lex Price (Mindy Smith, Peter Bradley Adams).

This release was the culmination of an eight year journey. Following the release of her third album Hestia in 2009, Kropf was diagnosed with multiple illnesses and was unable to return to music in earnest until 2012, transformed in artistic vision and purpose, with a new collection of songs that eventually became her Kickstarter-funded fourth album, Chrysalis. 

In every way Chrysalis spoke of a fresh start. Kropf pushed into richer sonic territory in new partnerships with co-producer Jeff Berman, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, and recorded under the guidance of Grammy-winning engineer, Jay Dudt. Her intentional selection of musicians that span diverse genres — from the Pittsburgh Symphony to jazz session players to her Americana/folk rock and singer/songwriter peers — has been instrumental in deepening her signature sound of thoughtful folk/pop that defies trendiness. 

Kropf's pursuit of understatement and emotional intelligence in production-style led her to Price for the quick follow-up album. Price hand-picked a roster of players including Tim Young (Rickie Lee Jones), Steve Moore (Laura Veirs), Ian Fitchuk (Kasey Musgraves), and Joshua Grange (Sheryl Crow), to create a layered atmosphere that shimmers around her unadorned vocals.

Since this pair of releases, Kropf has been performing frequently, opening for Kim Richey, Eileen Ivers, Kate Davis, and Jill Barber, and touring venues like Hartwood Acres in Pittsburgh and Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. Mostly recently, she toured nationally with a two-woman show, We Know There are Oceans, created with writer/performer, Michelle Milne. “I feel fortunate to still be making music,“ says Kropf. “Everything is a gift and nothing is guaranteed. I savor each moment I get to do what I do.”