Melody Gardot (born February 2, 1985, New Jersey) is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and musician known for her smoky contralto voice and a style that weaves together jazz, blues, bossa nova, and folk. At 19, she was struck by a car while cycling in Philadelphia, sustaining severe head and spinal injuries - and it was during her long hospital recovery that music became both therapy and vocation. Her 2007 Verve debut Worrisome Heart launched an international career that now spans six studio albums and sold-out runs at venues like the Paris Olympia.
France 4 broadcast Gardot's sold-out Olympia concert from 'The Essential Tour' in prime time on January 28, 2026.
Gardot performed eight sold-out shows at the Paris Olympia as part of her 'The Essential Tour'.
Gardot received the Gold Award at the Jazz FM Awards ceremony at KOKO in London on April 24, 2025.
Decca Records released The Essential Melody Gardot, a 25-track career retrospective curated by the artist herself, on October 25, 2024.
Gardot is scheduled to perform at the Leverkusener Jazztage festival in Leverkusen on November 11, 2026, and at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 16, 2026.
