Sima Cunningham

SINGER--SONGWRITER--MUSICIAN

Sima Cunningham, 16, is a Chicago-based singer, songwriter and musician. This spring she is releasing her first recording project, Squeeze, a six-song EP that includes five songs written by Sima and produced by one of Chicago's leading independent rock producers, Brian Deck. Her songs draw on a range of influences from Nirvana, Bright Eyes, No Doubt and Beck to Bob Dylan, the Beatles and the Band. Sima, who sings lead and backing vocals on Squeeze, is a self-taught guitarist, and has studied jazz and classical piano for eight years.

In the past year, Sima has begun performing with bands in Chicago-area rock and folk clubs, including Uncommon Ground, Weeds, and Cabaret Metro. A member of the Chicago Children's Choir since 1996, she has performed with the choir at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, the Lyric Opera House and Ravinia. You can catch her performing in the opera "Sita Ram" with the Lookingglass Theatre, Chicago, in March. Sima's four-piece band includes some of the top young musicians from the local music scene. She is currently a sophomore at Whitney Young High School.