VITA
New York-based, German-born singer and songwriter Uta Habbig distinguishes herself through a sensitive, colorful sound and compelling storytelling. She explores a vast musical landscape and transforms each song into her very own musical work of art through vocal presence and authentic expression. She asserts herself above all through a skillful synthesis of genres and playfully combines jazz, classical music and chamber pop in her compositions. Since her debut album Windward (2016) and the EP Songs from the Lighthouse (2020), both collections of original compositions, the musician has developed artistically through a variety of collaborations with the likes of Glenn Zaleski , Adi Meyerson, and Ari Kárason. Her new full length album is set to be released in May 2025.
Born in Cologne, she began playing the piano and violin at the age of five and was soon singing in school and church choirs. As the youngest of four children, she gained her first experience of making music together with her siblings. She grew up primarily with classical music, but soon developed a natural interest in a variety of musical styles. Her love of music was to determine the rest of her life. During her studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater - Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in Leipzig, she continuously expanded her musical repertoire, attended master classes given by greats such as Kurt Masur, played under Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and performed in renowned concert halls such as the Gewandhaus Leipzig. In addition, Uta earned a B.M. in Jazz; she studied jazz singing and composition at the Maastricht Conservatory of Music, Netherlands, and completed her wide-ranging education with a year at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. She studied under legendary jazz greats such as Reggie Workman, Kirk Nurock and Becca Stevens. As a student, she already played concerts in the city's jazz clubs and even made it onto the big stage of the famous Carnegie Hall with a choir project. Uta currently lives in New York City, where she also teaches at NYU and other cultural and educational institutions.