Laura Cortese

Laura Cortese is a vocalist, songwriter, and fiddler who has released her own folk and singer/songwriter-oriented material in addition to leading Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards, a group who expanded the boundaries of what people expect from an acoustic ensemble by incorporating elements of R&B, dance music, and contemporary pop into their music. She has also backed artists including Pete Seeger, Band of Horses, and Uncle Earl, and plays in duo with her partner, Bert Ruymbeek. Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards' debut album, 2017's California Calling, focused on the ensemble's instrumental interplay and vocal harmonies, while 2020's Bitter Better took on a more ambitious approach, with greater use of keyboards and electronic accents. She has since moved from Boston, Massachusetts, to Ghent, Belgium, and released acoustic singles including 2022's "Spend the Night" (with Douglas Firs) and the 2025 cover "Something Borrowed Nothing New."