Making her Melbourne International Jazz Festival debut – and bringing the 2023 festival to an unforgettable close – is celebrated Grammy-winning vocalist and composer, Cécile McLorin Salvant.

A charismatic storyteller and dramatically charged performer, Salvant combines searingly emotive vocals with a captivating stage presence in a thrilling force that has electrified audiences the world over, and reimagined jazz for a new generation.

As the most accomplished jazz vocalist of her generation, Salvant has collected countless accolades, winning the Thelonious Monk competition in 2010, receiving the MacArthur fellowship in 2022 and the Duke Artist Award – as well as the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for three consecutive years.

Seamlessly traversing genre and culture – from jazz, blues, baroque and folkloric music – Salvant will take audiences on a mesmeric journey through a broad repertoire ranging from rich interpretations of familiar songs to rarely performed treasures – all brought to life with a uniquely theatrical flair.

Described by Spin as “…her generation’s most imaginative and thrilling jazz interpreter,” Salvant promises to deliver one of this year’s most talked-about performances.