Diane Arkenstone

Diane Arkenstone
Diane Arkenstone
Genres	Ambient, New-age, World music, Celtic, Americana
Occupation(s)	Singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist
Instrument(s)	Guitar, keyboard, wood flutes, synthesizers, dulcimer, percussion, metal drum, kalimba, keyboard
Labels	Neo Pacifica Recordings
Website	www.dianearkenstone.com

Diane Arkenstone, a multi-faceted artist and a pioneer in the New Age music genre, has garnered worldwide acclaim with her extensive repertoire of recordings within the world, meditative, ambient, Celtic, Native American traditions and Americana.

Her healing music is largely inspired by her experiences overcoming heart health complications, including over 30 major surgeries since childhood.

A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Diane trained as an opera singer, and has enjoyed experimenting with a variety of genres throughout her career.

Diane plays multiple instruments including guitar, keyboard, wood flutes, dulcimer, synthesizers, percussion, metal drum, and kalimbas.

The Billboard-charting Arkenstone is one of the top 10 healing artists in the world, with hundreds of millions of streams globally across music streaming platforms.

Her prolific discography and collaborations have resulted in over 55 albums spanning a variety of genres.^[1] Throughout her career, she has also collaborated creatively as part of the duo, Enaid & Einalem, and with like-minded musician, and ex-husband, David Arkenstone,^[2] as well as producer Derek Nakamoto, and GRAMMY nominated Trumpet and Flugelhorn player, Jeff Oster.

She's also released numerous projects and collaborations through her pioneering self-owned label, Neo Pacifica Recordings, Including projects under the names Ah Nee Mah and Enaid, and collaborations like Earth Trybe and Marquis Ensemble.

Her extensive discography and creative output has led to numerous artist collaborations and creative projects, as well as major sync and partnership placements - most recently with "Apple's Best of Apps Winner," Aura Health, a mindfulness and meditation App.

Her upcoming album, Aquaria II - Ascension, is set for release in 2024. It reflects humanity's evolution from the Piscean Age of water, to the Aquarian Age of air, and the shift to more awareness and nurturing energy.

About[edit]

Diane grew up in California on a working cattle ranch. She wrote her first song at the age of three and started playing guitar at the age of seven.^[3]

Since childhood, she has endured a lifetime of medical ailments resulting from complete AV block (atrial ventricular block) in her heart. She has had multiple heart surgeries and over 30 major surgeries total.

In 2004 she was an official spokesperson for the American Heart Association.^[4] As a spokesperson, she regularly shared her story with kids who also experienced heart defects from a young age.

She has had 6 pacemaker implants throughout her life, and received her first pacemaker implant at age 20.

Due to the complete AV Block in her heart, doctors told her she would not be able to survive without a pacemaker. Heart monitors indicated that her heart would stop beating for up to a full minute at a time.

Miraculously, after years of surgery, in 2022 her doctor reported that her heart was fully healed, and the pacemaker was turned off.

She found healing through the vibrations of her guitar and her voice, and this started her journey to make healing music to help others.

In 2021, she released The Healing Heart album. The song "Safe in the Angel’s Wing" was written after her recovery from a 3rd pacemaker implant. Minutes after the pacemaker was in, she went into cardiac arrest.

While unconscious, she had a vision of being protected in an Angel's wing during the procedure. The image stayed with her and inspired the song and album.

Diane strongly believes in the power of the voice as an instrument for wellbeing, including chanting, humming, and other vocal tones.

"It’s comforting to hear a human voice, or to imagine it is an Angel watching over you through some extremely dark times" she says. "Hearing another voice makes us feel less alone."^[5]

Career[edit]

A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Diane trained as an opera singer, and has enjoyed experimenting with a variety of genres throughout her career.^[2]

She plays multiple instruments including guitar, keyboard,^[6] wood flutes,^[7] dulcimer, synthesizers, percussion, metal drum, and kalimbas.

Arkenstone was named one of the top 10 healing artists in the world by Chartmetric, with hundreds of millions of streams globally across music streaming platforms.

She has sold over two million units worldwide via Neo Pacifica Recordings, the independent label she launched in the late 1990s.^[8]

Her albums The Healing Heart and Avalon: Between Earth and Sky reached #1 on the Amazon New Age charts for physical product, and her songs are regularly featured on Amazon playlists including "Great New Age Music", "Spa Day", "New Age for Meditation", and many more.^[9]

Arkenstone's album Jewel in the Sun debuted at number 16 on Billboard's New Age charts when it was released in 2002, and peaked at number 11.^[3]

Her first album, Celtic Nights, sold over 500,000 copies and was released under her Celtic alias, Enaid, which is Diane spelled backwards and means life/soul in old Celtic/Irish.^[2]

Her albums have been sold in the majority of National Parks under her Native American band name, Ah Nee Mah.^[10]

Her albums have also been sold in museums and resorts across the US such as the Smithsonian, Shed Museum, Hearst Castle, and Disneyland. Her music was also used in the King Tut World Tour and played overhead in Las Vegas on Freemont Street.

Her music has been featured during the Sydney Olympics, and on networks including Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Hallmark, NBC, CBS, and Indie and PBS films, My Child, Mother’s of War, and Joan of Arc.

In 2005, The Best of Diane Arkenstone was ranked No. 1 on Zone Music Reporter's Top 100 Airplay Chart, out of 2800 recordings reported that year.^[11]^[12]

Diane's voice is featured on the soundtrack for the 2002 game Heroes of Might and Magic IV, including the songs "A Wise Tale" and "Hope" (among many others) of the game's soundtrack. While her name is not in the credits of the game, her influence of classical music is noticeable throughout the soundtrack.

Her prolific discography and collaborations have resulted in over 55 albums spanning a variety of genres.^[1]

Throughout her career she has also collaborated creatively as part of the duo, Enaid & Einalem, and with like-minded musician David Arkenstone.^[2]

In addition to releasing her own music, she's released numerous projects and collaborations through her label, including projects under the names, Ah Nee Mah and Enaid, and collaborations like Earth Trybe and Marquis Ensemble.

Her most recent recordings include The Healing Heart, released in 2021, Avalon: Between Earth and Sky, with David Arkenstone, released in 2022, and World Calling, released in 2023.^[13]

Her upcoming album, Aquaria II - Ascension, is set for release in 2024. It reflects humanity's evolution from the Piscean Age of water, to the Aquarian Age of air, and the shift to more awareness and nurturing energy.

Collaborations[edit]

Diane has collaborated with

David Arkenstone
Producer Derek Nakamoto
GRAMMY nominated Trumpet and Flugelhorn player, Jeff Oster

Press[edit]

Diane has garnered numerous press accolades throughout her career.

Music Crowns heralded Diane Arkenstone as "a pioneering musical force in the contemporary instrumental genre as well as a singer songwriter with a captivating voice".^[14]

Jukebox Time affirmed Diane's "authentic artistic caliber," and her "enigmatic yet scintillating contemporary vibe" on the album, Light Of Varying Energies.^[15]

American Songwriter notes on her 2020 vocal track "Ions": "A sultry and slinky come hither, Arkenstone purrs and sighs to a slow, jazzy rhythm, writhing in coquettish charm."^[16]

Tour[edit]

Headlined with David Arkenstone at Symphony Hall in Utah
The Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City
National Parks Tour across the US
Chautauqua Theatre in Boulder, CO

Awards and Accolades[edit]

2022 One World Music Radio Awards, Best New Age Album + Best New Age Single nominations^[17]
2023 One World Music Radio Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination^[18]
2005, The Best of Diane Arkenstone was ranked No. 1 on Zone Music Reporter's Top 100 Airplay Chart, out of 2800 recordings reported that year.^[19]

Discography[edit]