Melanie Scholtz is a New York-based, South African-born, multi-award-winning jazz vocalist, composer and songwriter, celebrated for her distinctive voice, versatility and ability to move seamlessly between jazz, African music, poetry and contemporary sounds.
A classically trained musician, Melanie graduated Cum Laude with a Performer’s Diploma in Opera from the University of Cape Town. She was named Best Jazz Vocalist at the 2002 Old Mutual Jazz Encounters and received the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz in 2010. In 2012, she achieved an extraordinary international milestone by winning all three prizes at the Jazz à Juan Revelations competition in France — the Jury Prize, Public Prize and RTL Prize.
Her international career has seen her perform and collaborate with acclaimed artists including Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masekela, Kurt Elling and Bobby McFerrin. She was also a featured artist on The Great South African Songbook Tour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, performing in New York, Chicago, Vienna and South Africa.
An accomplished recording artist, Melanie has released multiple albums spanning original jazz, standards and cross-cultural collaborations, including the acclaimed Freedom’s Child, which set the poetry of anti-apartheid writer James Matthews to music. Her more recent work includes the albums Sweet Nancy and Seven.
Highlights: Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz • Old Mutual Best Jazz Vocalist • Triple Jazz à Juan Revelations Winner • Jazz at Lincoln Center • Wynton Marsalis Collaboration • International Recording & Touring Artist
