Krystle Dos Santos – Evergreen Cultural Centre

Krystle Dos Santos is an extraordinary blues, jazz and soul singer based out of Vancouver, Canada. With a voice that is commanding, powerful and rich with talent, her music, inspired by classic and neo-soul combined with contemporary hip-hop and R&B elements is executed brilliantly; It’s simultaneously elegant, bold and sensual similar to modern legends Erykah Badu and Ms. Lauryn Hill. Her performances are mesmerizing; She sings with sheer heart wrenching dominion about falling in love, heartbreak and struggle. Her approach to music is unmistakably genuine.

From the sultry, syncopated funk of Shiny Little Pearl to the R&B infused number based on a riff admittedly “borrowed” from the Ray Charles version of a Percy Mayfield-penned hit, her writing pays tribute to her heroes and influences while exploring fresh new vistas of urban soul.

Krystle’s charming, self-deprecating manner establishes an easy rapport with the audience. Both title tracks from her forthcoming CD, “Bloom/Burn” showcased the power and versatility of her voice; from soaring highs to throaty lows, from whispers to a howl, with a warmth that envelops you.

Dos Santos grew up in Edmonton and her roots are Guyanese. She studied at the elite Canadian College of Performing Arts, it is apparent in her music that she is formally trained. She released her debut self titled album in 2008. It received a great deal of critical acclaim, commercial success and an award for the Urban Recording of the Year in 2009 at the WCMA’s. She released her second highly sophisticated and elevated album in 2011 titled Fame Fatale also garnering a nomination in 2012. She has performed across Canada at the established Edmonton International Jazz Festival, Victoria Jazz Festivals, Honey Jam Toronto, the Whistler International Film Festival and more.

In addition to performing, she is an actor and starred in The Arts Club musical Dream Girls, The Chelsea Hotel: The Songs of Leonard Cohen at The Firehall Arts Centre and created a show called ‘BLAK, exploring Canada’s Black History. She loves performing for young audiences to share the History of Motown in schools and is developing a cabaret style musical, Hey Viola! about Viola Desmond with award winning producer/writer Tracey Power.

Dos Santos performs with her wildly talented and well-suited 5 piece band creating a magnetic performance with an avalanche of sound. Dos Santos is a rare marvel in contemporary music “an analogue girl in the digital world” as Badu would say.