My Brightest Diamond is magical. My Brightest Diamond is Shara Worden. Raised in Michigan and now living in New York, Shara possesses a voice so rich and visceral, you almost feel as if she is singing the secrets of your heart.

She creates a world of shiny baubles, exploding stars, wild horses, fledgling birds, tragedy, and love.

Each song is a symphony and a revelation, overflowing with angular guitars, stirring keyboards, sweeping gothic strings and Shara's own dazzling voice - a compelling mix that transcends genres and pierces the heart.

My Brightest Diamond began as a departure from Shara's classical training in opera, using her off-hours to de-tune her Gibson electric guitar and sing in a voice that blended opera and her love of independent artists such as Antony & the Johnsons, Nina Nastasia and Rebecca Moore.  She began writing and performing, assembling a group of diverse musicians to realize her unique visions.

During this time she met fellow composer Sufjan Stevens, who was immediately impressed by her talents.

Stevens asked her to contribute backing vocals to his Illinois album and invited her to join his notorious Illinoisemakers to tour in support of the album.

Shara was soon dubbed "head cheerleader." During the lengthy tour, she did not forget the songs she had written as My Brightest Diamond, and finally began to record her compositions in 2005.  The result is Bring Me the Workhorse, a stunning album that blends Shara's love of Purcell and Debussy with elements of PJ Harvey and Portishead.

It is a record cloaked in a soft darkness, perfumed with glory and glittering with tension, desire, and strength.

Shara is the album's center of gravity, having written all the songs and string parts, and produced the tracks with unprecedented grace and singularity of vision.  Drums and guitars mingle with metal on songs like "Gone Away" and "Disappear".

"Sparkling" glides like a dream fragment and Shara's elegant voice lifts "Magic Rabbit" and "Golden Star" heavenward in a reverie of woozy, illuminated sensuality that sprinkles down from above.