1. Tell us about your upbringing…

I’m Italian. I was born in southern Italy, in Vibo Valentia, Calabria, but grew up in the north, in Monza, near Milan.

2. When did you hear jazz for the first time?

I heard jazz indirectly through my grandfather, who played Italian swing classics. I wasn’t aware of it at the time because I was just a child, but later on, a friend I met in a music school where I was studying reintroduced me to jazz. That’s when I realized I had been exposed to swing for a long time and fell in love with the genre.

3. Who was the first jazz vocalist you remember hearing?

The first jazz vocalist I remember is tied to the swing songs my grandfather used to play. However, my real rediscovery of jazz came in my teenage years through a friend. We both took voice lessons at the same music school, and she was passionate about jazz. As a pianist and singer, she shared MP3s of Cassandra Wilson with me, and that’s when it clicked. I realized I loved this music, though it wasn’t immediate. She planted a seed. I didn’t listen to this music until I was 23, and I decided to study music and jazz in particular, enrolling in the Conservatory G. Verdi of Milan. It was a sudden but life-changing turning point.

4. When did you realize you wanted to make a life in music?

I’ve always wanted to sing, but there was a defining moment during New Year’s Eve in Sydney. I attended a Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings concert, and after that performance, I had an epiphany. I realized I wanted to do what she was doing—obviously, in my way.

5. What year did you first come to the US?

I came to the United States in August 2022.

6. Why the US?

I was driven by my love for jazz music. I was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and pursued my second master’s degree in jazz music here in New York.

7. What was your first impression of America?

My first impression of America wasn’t shocking because I expected it to be the way it is. However, I enjoyed being here even more than I anticipated. After finishing my degree, I decided to stay because of the vibrant music scene and all the opportunities it offers, and I’ve been provided.

8. What’s the biggest difference between the New York and Italian jazz scenes?

The most significant difference is that New York has a natural, thriving jazz scene, while in Italy, jazz opportunities are sporadic, and there are fewer live music events in general. In Italy, the jazz scene tends to lean more towards avant-garde, whereas in New York, you find a bit of everything, including people who still preserve and perform traditional jazz and swing.

9. Give us three jazz vocal albums everyone should own?

Afterglow by Carmen McRae, La voglia, la pazzia, l’incoscienza, l’allegria by Ornella Vanoni, Toquinho, and Vinicius de Moraes, and Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker.

10. What’s your favorite thing about performing at the Club Room?

I love everything about performing at the Club Room- the atmosphere, the attentive audience, the stage, and the incredibly kind and welcoming staff. There’s a deep respect for musicians; the sound is excellent, and singing there is always a pleasure.