Kat Edmonson

Jazz chanteuse Kat Edmonson may have had no formal training, but the young vocalist possesses one of the most authentic voices to ever croon selections from the Great American Songbook. One listen to the Houston native’s ethereal purr is enough to hook even the most casual music fan, and her song “Lucky” was featured on the MTV series United States of Tara. It was Edmonson’s mother’s record collection and old movies that initially stirred her artistic soul, but having a career in music wasn’t initially a given. After a stint at college in Charleston, South Carolina, Edmonson returned to Texas and decided to follow the musical call. An audition for American Idol in 2002 landed Edmonson a trip to Hollywood and a spot in the Top 48. Her Idol dreams ended abruptly when judge Randy Jackson told the singer she didn’t “look like a star.” After her exit from Idol, Edmonson began honing her chops at open-mike nights and eventually made the transition to full-time performer. Her debut album, 2009′s Take to the Sky, was a mix of classic and modern songs, and proved Edmonson was more than ready for her jazz ascension. Three years later, she returned with the Kickstarter-funded Way Down Low. In 2014, Edmonson released the Mitchell Froom-produced The Big Picture. ~ Todd Sterling