Longwood Debut
Having made her mark on the international jazz scene as one of the star vocalists of her era, Veronica Swift has expanded her style to encompass a dynamic mixture of jazz, rock, soul, funk, and more. After placing second in the 2015 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition—putting her on the map—Swift has enjoyed such accomplishments as earning a five-star review from DownBeat Magazine for her 2021 album This Bitter Earth, which also earned L'academie du Jazz Best Vocal Album award in 2021.
Her ability to transcend different styles and fully embody them with authenticity to tell a story makes her one of the most skillful singers in any genre, and displays her theatrical approach as a performer and artist.
Swift is a Mack Avenue recording artist whose debut album, Confessions, was released in 2019. In addition to winning L’academie du Jazz Best Vocal Album award, her second release, This Bitter Earth (2021), earned her the front cover on the DownBeat Magazine November 2021 issue and the JazzTimes December 2021 cover.
Her third album TransGenre (2023) will venture into mixing jazz and classical with rock, soul, and funk, paying homage to greats like Janis Joplin, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Duke Ellington.
Raised in Charlottesville, VA and having grown up on the road with her parents (jazz pianist Hod O'Brien and vocalist Stephanie Nakasian), Swift began her performing and recording career at age nine. As a child, she headlined at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club, and appeared at major US festivals such as the Telluride Jazz Fest. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Music Degree from University of Miami's Frost School of Music.
Placing second in the 2015 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition contributed to Swift landing a weekly residency at the historic jazz venue Birdland. It was there that she captured the attention of jazz icons Chris Botti and Wynton Marsalis, who featured her on their tours throughout the following years as she also toured extensively with her own band.