S. J. Tucker
S. J. Tucker (born February 22, 1980) is an Arkansas-born North American female singer-songwriter. Originally inspired by alternative folk rock artists like Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Ani DiFranco, Tucker – also called "Sooj" or "Skinny White Chick" – soon branched out to assume a more diverse identity. Like The Beatles – another cited influence – Tucker prefers an eclectic approach to songcraft. Since her debut album in 2004, Tucker's work has integrated elements of electronica, filk, spoken word, world music, industrial metal, and – with the troupe Fire & Strings – fire-spinning. Musical style Based around the "guitar troubadour" model, Tucker's work originally featured acoustic guitar, multitracked vocals, and low-key bass guitar and hand drum parts. In concert, Tucker often appears with a hollow-body guitar and a microphone. However, her third album, Sirens, featured backup musicians, a diversity of musical approaches, and elaborate vocal harmonies. Subsequent releases have favored a world fusion approach over guitar folk arrangements. Stylistically, Tucker has been compared to Ani DiFranco, Fiona Apple, and Joni Mitchell, among other singer-songwriters. Career Raised in an art-oriented family, Tucker began singing during childhood. Disgusted by "mainstream" employment, she began performing as a singer and guitarist while at college