Cécile McLorin Salvant captures an audience's attention as soon as she appears, then goes on to surprise them again and again with her spontaneous musical choices, intelligence, humour and enchanting stage presence. Steeped in jazz, blues and folk alike, Salvant also smuggles elements derived from a classical education into her music. Always using her voice to perfection, she delivers song lyrics with a total empathy that guarantees the authenticity of her message.
Born in Miami to Haitian and French parents, Salvant began learning piano from the age of five. She embarked on classical vocal studies at the age of eight, later perfecting her skills in France, adding a deeper understanding of Baroque music and improvisation. All this has contributed to her compelling versatility. Of the famous jazz vocalists, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith exercised the deepest influence, but her singing also conjures memories of Ella Fitzgerald.
The 27-year-old singer released her first solo album in 2010 and won the highly prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in the same year. This led swiftly to the release of her second album WomanChild and a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. It seems that Salvant can do no wrong as her latest record, released in 2015 under the title For One to Love and containing five original compositions alongside the standards she holds so dear, is again a Grammy contender. Her concert at Müpa, accompanied by a world-class rhythm section, will draw from this material in praise of strong women.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest