Lady Blackbird – vocals
Chris Seefried – guitar, keys
Jonny Fluagher – bass
Tamir Barzilay – drums

At “Kaunas Jazz” – the critically and musically acclaimed U.S. singer Lady Blackbird

The largest jazz festival in Lithuania, Kaunas Jazz, announces its first star of the 2026 season. On April 24, at the National Kaunas Drama Theatre, American singer Lady Blackbird will perform, who in recent years has become a striking sensation on the jazz and broader music scene.

“Mysterious and stunning” – writes The New York Times about this fiery vocalist. “Songs and performances that burn deep inside you,” – vividly agrees the British publication The Guardian. And this is just part of the praise this singer has received in this decade.

Even in 2022, at the Jazz FM awards, Lady Blackbird was named the best foreign artist of the year (in this category, she even beat trumpeter Theo Croker, who performed at Kaunas Jazz), and she receives compliments from the world’s most prominent performers – from Gregory Porter to U2’s Bono.

The star of this singer, distinguished by her charisma and talent, rose in 2021 when she released her debut album Black Acid Soul, but before that, she had already traveled a long, winding, and challenging path.

Lady Blackbird – „It‘s Not That Easy“:

Marley Munroe (the singer’s real name, she chose the stage name after hearing Nina Simone’s recording of the song Blackbird) was born in a small town in New Mexico. Growing up in a religious family, she immersed herself in music from an early age – singing in church and at sports events, and at twelve she signed a contract with a Christian music label and began performing with the Christian group DC Talk, which combined rap and rock.

During adolescence, a turning point occurred – she realized that religion was not for her, and the restrictive rules hindered her personal growth.

“I realized that religion was imposed on me and I never felt good with it. I started feeling rejected when I understood that I was trying to hide who I really am. I had to find a way to break free,” – Lady Blackbird emotionally recounts the internal conflicts she experienced, which she does not shy away from in her songs.

Beginning her career, she sang with pop star Anastacia and electronic music veteran Moby, signed a deal with the major label Epic, but did not receive the attention she deserved there.

Everything changed when she began working with producer Chris Seefried, who became her loyal creative partner.

The debut album Black Acid Soul received fantastic reviews. From joy to sorrow, from jazz to soul, from psychedelic rock to pop – Lady Blackbird demonstrated impressive creative diversity and imagination. All of this was anchored by her striking vocals, which in different episodes were both powerful and softly whispering.

Her bold and eccentric image also drew attention – for example, in the video for the song Woman, the singer appeared nude.

Lady Blackbird – „Woman“:

The American’s career especially took off in the United Kingdom – there her album rose into the top ten of the charts and became the most listened-to jazz release of the week. Soon, Lady Blackbird was performing in famous venues like Koko and Barbican, opening for Gregory Porter, and appearing on the popular TV host Graham Norton’s show.

Her performance there went viral online – U2’s Bono and one of the world’s most popular artists, Taylor Swift, were stunned listening to Lady Blackbird’s voice.

Watch her performance here:

It is no surprise that legendary singer Chaka Khan invited her to perform at her curated festival Meltdown, and one of the most famous British pop music producers, Trevor Horn, offered to record a new version of the song Slave To The Rhythm, originally written for the iconic singer Grace Jones.

“Because Lady Blackbird is the jazz Grace Jones” – he compared the bold and extravagant styles of the two singers.

In 2024, Lady Blackbird released her second album Slang Spirituals, which again became a major musical event.

The singer openly shares that these songs are about the challenges she has faced on life’s path, her search for freedom and identity. It is music that is intimate and hopeful. Lady Blackbird does not shy away from appearing vulnerable and further expands her musical expression palette.

Lady Blackbird – „Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled)“:

“These are songs that were born in hotel bars during tours. I want to show the world who I am. Finally, I can breathe freely and sing about it. It’s like a diary. I tell my journey – from the days when I was called a sinner to discovering freedom and accepting myself, without any hypocrisy. Recording felt like therapy,” says Lady Blackbird.

Critics continue to struggle to find the right term to describe her work. Neo-gospel? Avant-garde soul?

Lady Blackbird herself smiles when hearing attempts to fit her into genre categories, because it is obvious – it is simply impossible. The best way to experience this music is live, and the singer fully agrees.

“The stage is like home to me; every time I step on it, I see my entire life flashing before my eyes. I can’t wait to invite the audience on this journey with me and liberate it,” says the singer, performing in Lithuania for the first time at the invitation of Kaunas Jazz.

Tickets for Lady Blackbird’s performance at Kaunas Jazz are sold via BILIETAI.LT.