This Sunday’s New York Times Magazine article “Her Lonely Voice” features Katell Keineg–the singer-songwriter that could’ve been a star but didn’t become one (even after she was signed to a six album contract with Elektra). When reporter Darcy Frey asked the still aspiring Keineg why she still wrote and played despite over a decade of disappointment, Keineg had this to say about music:

“For me, listening to music is akin to a religious experience; it’s the closest thing to a religion I have. I mean, I wouldn’t put it in terms of God, because I’m an atheist, but I think humans are hard-wired for religion, hard-wired with a sense of divinity, however you interpret that. There’s probably some evolutionary advantage to it–this urge for meaning.”

And apparently, at least from the article, simply watching Katell Keineg sing on stage is quite spiritually ecstatic in and of itself. For New Yorkers, she plays the Living Room (yes that place that Norah Jones made famous) this Thursday night at 9pm.