Kyle Forester

Kyle Forester, a singer and songwriter known for his frequent collaborations, built his reputation as a fixture in New York’s indie pop scene through his work in the 2000s with groups such as Crystal Stilts, People, and the Ladybug Transistor. He later stepped forward with his own material via a self-titled 2016 release on Flying Moonlight Records, a collection of reflective guitar pop that incorporated subtle experimentation and understated synth textures.

Beyond his own projects, Forester maintained a busy schedule as a reliable session musician, contributing to recordings and live dates for a range of established indie artists. He also created original scores for several films, among them the 2009 feature Breaking Upwards, and launched Kyle’s Korner, an ongoing series of live-band karaoke nights. In 2012 he partnered with New York writer and food critic Joshua David Stein on the joint effort Forester Sings Stein, though four more years passed before his proper debut album appeared.

Following that 2016 record, Forester divided his schedule between solo work and performances as a member of the Brooklyn ensemble Woods. He further participated in the studio when Woods served as the backing unit for David Berman’s Purple Mountains album, the artist’s final release prior to his death. For his own second album, Hearts in Gardens, issued in early 2020, Forester assembled a steady group of musicians to support the sessions.