Jazz singer Stella Cole set to perform in Kalispell
Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 5 days AGO
Singer Stella Cole will be performing at the Wachholz College Center Feb. 4, accompanied by a string quartet made up of Flathead Valley musicians. (Photo by Luke Rogers)
Rising-star vocalist Stella Cole will perform at the Wachholz College Center Feb. 4, accompanied by a live string quartet featuring Flathead Valley musicians led by master violinist Wai Mizutani.
Cole gained notoriety after home videos she posted of herself singing vintage jazz covers went viral on TikTok and YouTube during the 2020-2021 pandemic lockdown. Following the lockdown, Cole moved to New York to pursue singing full-time and landed a spot in Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. She toured the country with Postmodern Jukebox before returning to New York and establishing herself as a prominent live performer and recording artist.
With a voice that bridges generations, 26-year-old Cole has quickly become known for her signature mix of jazz standards, Broadway gems and beloved tunes from the Great American Songbook. She has cultivated over 1.7 million social media followers through her fresh interpretations of timeless songs by iconic artists, including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole. Often described as a Laufey-meets-Bublé sensation, Cole is authentic and faithful to the traditions in which these songs have been heard for all these years but with a personal charisma that transcends the generations.
“It’s amazing to think that this music can be a balm for people's stress and anxiety. Don’t forget, these songs helped people get through the Great Depression and World War II,” Cole says. “That’s the most gratifying thing of all, experiencing how this music can help people.”
Cole’s commanding stage presence and captivating voice has ushered her from Springfield, Illinois, to New York’s biggest jazz venues, including Dizzy’s Club — Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz Club and Café Carlyle. She has also toured the globe with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and collaborated on a cover of “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus.
For the February concert, the string quartet accompanying Cole will also feature local musicians Idara Aguinaga on second violin, Eileen Beckett on the viola and Griffin Browne on cello.
Tickets are $30.80 inclusive of all fees and may be purchased at wccmt.org, at the Wachholz ticket office, 795 Grandview Dr., Kalispell, or by calling 756-1400.