Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter, and flutist Melanie Charles is set to captivate Sydney audiences on Sunday, October 26, in a headline performance for the 2025 Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival at Mary’s Underground.  

Renowned for her genre-blending fusion of jazz, soul, and R&B, layered with electronics, samples, and touches of her Haitian heritage, Charles will perform with her Trio — featuring Ignabu (drums, percussion) and Paul Wilson Bae(piano, key bass). Together, they promise a night of boundary-pushing sound, rich vocals, and fearless improvisation. 

A bold and in-demand collaborator, Charles has worked with some of the world’s most visionary artists, including Gorillaz, The Roots, SZA, Jean Grae, Mach-Hommy, and Wynton Marsalis. Whether blending her vocals and flute on Gorillaz’s Humanz, performing with The Roots on The Tonight Show, or recording with Marsalis at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Charles continues to bridge the worlds of jazz, soul, and contemporary music with unmistakable authenticity and flair. 

One Night Only! Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience one of international jazz’s most exciting and original voices in an intimate venue setting. 

Following the international and local acclaim of her 2019 debut EP ‘Clay’, Ella Haber was the only Sydney act invited to perform at tastemaker Gilles Peterson’s inaugural We Out Here festival in the UK, followed up by an exclusive London headline showcase hosted by Jamz Supernova (BBC1XTRA/Future Bounce).

Since then, Ella has become an in-demand support act for esteemed UK artists such as 70’s soul legends Cymande, Alfa Mist (at the Sydney Opera House), and Emma-Jean Thackeray, as well as NZ’s Lord Echo and homegrown icons Surprise Chef, Ngaiire and Close Counters.