B:Music are delighted to welcome Gabriella Liandu and Nishla Smith to the stage as part of B:JazzFest 2023! This event will see two fantastic artists showcased on one night in our Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space.

Gabriella Liandu

is a Zambian-Scottish singer and creative, passionate about versatility and malleability of the voice. The Mezzo-Soprano takes her roots in performing within the Opera world. Gabriella completed her Vocal and Operatic studies, graduating with First Class Honours in Music, followed by a Masters (with Distinction) in Jazz, from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, winning the B:Music Jazz Prize (prev. known as the Jazzlines THSH Final Year Prize for Overall Excellence in Performance and Leadership) and the award of Leverhulme Arts Scholar.

Being raised in the Middle East, her strong cultural upbringing and eclectic background is reflected through her artistry and style as a writer and performer. Her experience covers a wide range of genres with repertoire expanding from Early Classical to Choral, Modern Jazz and more.

Nishla Smith

Nishla is a singer and artist driven by a desire to tell stories.

In 2021 Nishla released a debut album on Whirlwind Recordings. ‘Friends With Monsters’ received critical acclaim, with Downbeat USA saying– “While Smith’s singing is an entrancing beauty of its own, the true trump cards are her lyrics and melodies.” Alongside the creation of the music, she devised and directed three story-driven music videos to reflect the album’s nocturnal theme; and commissioned eleven pieces of original artwork from local artists– a piece in response to each song.

Last year she played a bird in Atri Banerjee’s lauded production of ‘Kes’, for which she won a UK Theatre Award for ‘Best Supporting Performer.’ In summer, Nishla was selected to join Serious Music’s prestigious Take Five programme, which culminated in a performance at the Southbank Centre for London Jazz Festival. Later in the year, she was awarded a development award through the Peter Whittingham Jazz Awards, to support her newest recording project, ‘The Beast.’

“Her voice is exquisite, a symbol of unreachable beauty.” The Guardian'