Kacie Swierk

Bitter Jester Music Festival Judge & Member of the Education Team

Based in Chicago, IL, Kacie Swierk is a songwriter, musician, and founder of Albion West.

Albion West is an artist collective that emphasizes lyricism and storytelling. They write alternative folk music while pulling from jazz, roots, and classical influences. Their debut album, Hummingbird, released May 15th, 2020.

In the past, Kacie's songs have strived for authenticity in both lyricism and composition. Her original debut album, This Is Water, was released in June of 2017.

Kacie has toured throughout the US over the years and also teaches music lessons (songwriting, piano, guitar) in and around the North Shore of Chicago (and online, everywhere!).

Kacie's involvement in the Bitter Jester Music Festival started in Seventh Grade when she and her rock band, called 50 Below, participated as an act in 2008 along with fellow Bitter Jester judge Taylor Tucker. Upon her arrival at college, however, she began to sing and write music, which eventually led to where is today.

She is always excited to return as a judge for Bitter Jester’s live shows, which she has done since 2017. In 2020 Kacie was one of over 80 judges who participated in the BJMF virtual Original Song Competition and, a year later, she was excited to join BJMF”s Education Team. In that role she provides educational assistance and joins Michael Tseitlin in giving performers real-time verbal feedback recorded while they perform.