New Orleans vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa was named the winner of one the most important annual vocal competitions in jazz, The International Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal Competition, also known as the “Sassy Awards,” held on June 7.

Cavassa performed alongside three highly accomplished singers for a panel of judges including multiple Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride and Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy. In the competition’s first-ever tie, Cavassa and New Mexico native Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim shared the first place honor, each taking home a $5,000 prize and the honors associated with winning the annual “search for the world’s next great jazz singer.”

Cavassa delivered an unpredictable and deeply intimate performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. In her distinctive approach, she sang “Easy to Love,” “I’ve Never Been In Love Before,” and “Never Let Me Go.” Cavassa describes the choice to accompany herself on guitar for “Never Let Me Go” in a vocal competition as a “huge risk,” but she disclosed that vulnerability and risk are the elements of performance that most excite her. The California-born singer of Italian descent found a home in the New Orleans music scene in recent years, where she has been honing her skills for years at The Starlight, Kermit Ruffins’ Mother In Law Lounge, and as the featured vocalist with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

There has been buzz about the soulful singer since the release of her self-titled debut record, co-produced by Jamison Ross, in August 2020. The recording debut was met with critical acclaim in jazz and alternative R&B spheres, highlighting Cavassa’s songwriting and interpretation through raw self-disclosure and layers of intimacy.

The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition is open to solo vocalists of all nationalities who are not signed to a major record label. Past winners include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Samara Joy, and New Orleans’ own Quiana Lynell. Cavassa is currently recording a duo album with pianist and longtime collaborator Ryan Hanseler and continues to perform in New Orleans. She is planning an East Coast tour in the fall. For more information on Cavassa’s tour dates and to remain up to date with her release schedule, visit here.