Kavita Shah

In the artist’s words: Describe one of your earliest musical memories in detail. I discovered jazz and the music of Ella Fitzgerald at the age of 10. We sang "A Tisket A Tasket" in my choir, and this song stood out. The syncopation, the call-and-response, the blues phrasing. I listened to Ella nonstop for the next few years! What are your top 3 all-time favorite albums on Apple Music, and why? Why did you choose these three albums in particular? Cesária Evora, Café Atlantico Chick Corea, Light As a Feather Esperanza Spalding, Esperanza Café Atlantico was my intro to Cesária and Cape Verdean music; it sounds like home. Esperanza is a genius bassist and singer who mixes genres boldly and effortlessly. This Chick album is full of great compositions and Flora Purim's soaring voice. Find a song of yours on Apple Music that you love and tell us what makes it special. Tell us why you chose this song. “Oju Oba (feat. Lionel Loueke)” Oju Oba is an Afro-Brazilian song from Bahia, a place where I discovered myself and decided to follow the life path of a musician. This is a spiritual song about peace and submission. The title means "the eyes of the King" in Yoruba. What’s one of the most memorable moments in your career so far? One career highlight was singing at a jazz festival in Nairobi for 3,000 people to a mostly young, high-energy audience who were dancing to my music! The moment was thrilling and I felt the potential for jazz to evolve among generations and regions. Is there anything left on your bucket list as an artist or band? I would love to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Newport Jazz festival. There are some of my heroes I would love to meet and collaborate with, especially in Brazil. I have performed on six continents; Antarctica would make it 7!