Jazzmeia Horn

The Artistry of Jazzmeia Horn is presented in collaboration with the Charleston Jazz Festival. The 2025 Charleston Jazz Festival promises 9 days of world-class jazz performers, events and venues, a true celebration of jazz in the heart of Charleston. Join us for an unforgettable week that highlights the power of music and the strength of our vibrant arts community!

Named by her jazz loving grandmother, Jazzmeia Horn was born in Dallas, T exas, in 1991. She grew up in a close church-going family singing gospel music.

Ms. Horn graduated from Booker T . Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which was attended by other great artists such as Roy Hargrove, Norah Jones, and Erykah Badu. In 2009, she
enrolled at The School of Jazz at The New School in New York City.

Ms. Horn won the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition and, shortly after, was signed by Concord Records. In 2017, she released her debut album, A Social Call, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Ms. Horn continued to tour nationally and internationally, honing her vocal, performance and writing skills, to get across her message about the global need for love and social change in the world. In 2019, she
released Love and Liberation which also received a Grammy nomination. The following year, she published her book, Strive From Within: The Jazzmeia Horn Approach, while recording her big band album, Dear Love.

Dear Love, an album of encouragement through poetry and spoken word addressing the aspects of her community, her love and herself, was released in September 2021.

All while performing, writing, and preparing for a fall 2023 release of her new album, Ms. Horn is teaching students and conducting outreach programs across the globe through The Jazz Horn International Vocal Initiative.

Tonya Nicole is making waves in the music scene, enchanting audiences with her unique blend of vintage charm, old-school elegance, with a contemporary flair. She bursted onto the scene in 2021 with her debut single “LIMBO” and followed it up with the summer hit “COTTON CANDY” in August 2021. Her most recent EP, #1996KindaLove, features the standout track “You Got Me,” a collaboration with Manny Houston that masterfully weaves R&B/Soul, Jazz, and Hip Hop.

Described by The Post & Courier as having a “beautiful deep, willowy voice capable of improv-inflected runs,” Tonya’s writing & vocals bring a powerful immediacy to her music. Originally from Holly Hill, SC and now based in Charleston, SC, she is a dynamic singer, songwriter, and actress. Her storytelling often reflects her life growing up as a preacher’s kid, now wife, and mother, with love at the heart of her lyrics.

Renowned for her electrifying live performances, Tonya leaves audiences feeling invigorated and inspired. Don’t miss her debut tour, which kicks off Summer 2025—it’s a chance to experience her magic up close!