Grammy-nominated singer Carolyn Malachi returned to Shepherdstown on Thursday night to perform. (Shepherdstown Chronicle photo)

Shepherd University alumna and Grammy-nominated singer Carolyn Malachi returned to Shepherdstown, Thursday night to perform at the Opera House.

Malachi, who graduated from Shepherd in 2006, called her return to town “an incredible homecoming.”

She performed as part of the Opera House Live music series the historic theatre began hosting this year.

Malachi performed songs from her album titled ” Lions, Fires, and Squares,” including her Grammy-nominated single “Orion.”

Since graduating from Shepherd, Malachi moved to Baltimore and became involved in the spoken word scene there.

Malachi said she began work on her first album soon thereafter and released it in 2008.

Malachi, who said she’s been working “quite diligently” on advancing her music career, joined the Recording Academy in 2009.

She met music producer James McKinney at an academy mixer in the Washington, D.C., area, where she now resides. The pair teamed up and produced a record that paired Malachi’s spoken word, rhyming and singing with what Malachi described as McKinney’s “masterful” music composition.

Malachi, who remains unsigned to a major label, had previously released two albums called “Revenge of the Smarts Chicks” and “Revenge of the Smart Chicks 2.”

According to Malachi, she and McKinney are beginning work on her next record, which she hopes to release this fall.

“I’m really excited about the music we’re working on for the next recording,” she said.

She said that she and McKinney will focus on “making a complete music experience” with the next record.

Malachi said that she plans to return Shepherdstown to perform regularly.

“I’d like to make that voyage at least once a year,” she said.