Natalie Merchant

Over a four-decade career Natalie Merchant has earned a place among America's most respected recording artists, building a reputation for thoughtful songwriting through ten studio albums plus six albums as the lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs. Merchant has toured extensively throughout her career and collaborated on stage and in the studio with a diverse range of artists including Billy Bragg, Philip Glass, David Byrne, The Chieftains, R.E.M., Wilco, Medeski Martin & Wood, Tracy Chapman, Mavis Staples, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Merchant has long supported non-profit organizations and in 2022 she was appointed by Senator Chuck Schumer to a six year term on the Board of Trustees of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Cabinet of Wonder, Merchant’s latest project, features music and videos from her collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Children's Theatre. Designed as a free enrichment program for children ages 2–6, it introduces music, poetry, and the dramatic arts while reimagining Mother Goose through modern interpretations of the classic, child-centered canon. The project reflects Merchant's lifelong commitment to storytelling and arts education.