Casey Dienel

Singer/songwriter Casey Dienel made her professional debut in 2005 at the age of 20. Previously, she had spent her childhood writing songs while living in a fishing community in suburban Massachusetts. As a teenager, Dienel moved to Boston to attend the New England Conservatory. She debated between a pursuing a degree in opera or classical composition; however, Dienel ultimately chose to write jazz-influenced pop songs instead. With a theatrical presentation that was at once sophisticated and quirky (matching the likes of Cat Power, Joanna Newsom, and Rufus Wainwright), Dienel released her first album, Wind-Up Canary, in early 2006. She then returned to the studio with several additional musicians, effectively making the jump from solo songwriter to bandleader. Accordingly, her future material was released under the band's own moniker, White Hinterland.