Charissa Hoffman

• Folk
• Singer/Songwriter

Charissa Hoffman’s story is as eclectic as her instrument. A 6th-generation musician raised in Nashville, TN, her path to music seemed inevitable, but her choice of instrument- the ukulele- came out of nowhere. As a young recipient of the David Chow Humanitarian award and director of the Uke Can End It campaign to combat human trafficking, her heart has always been for the vulnerable, the underserved, and the underdog instruments.

Through the influences of genre-bending artists like Chet Atkins and Duke Ellington, she soon exceeded expectations for her instrument, establishing herself as a formidable chord-melody player and earning a spot as the first ukulele principal to be accepted to Berklee College of Music in 2017. Her songwriting earned her a place as participant in the prestigious Acoustic Music Seminar, and on stages at clubs and festivals across the country. Musically, Charissa has been influenced by artists ranging from Amanda Palmer to Joni Mitchell to Béla Fleck; within her there is a daring, open-hearted performer, a wistful, introspective songwriter, and an intentional instrumentalist who is driven to break down barriers for her instrument. She draws on singer-songwriter roots and jazz training in her music, creating dreamy, ethereal worlds for her listeners.