Esperanza Spalding

Born on October 18, 1984, in Portland, Oregon, Esperanza Spalding is an American bassist, singer, songwriter and composer. Spalding began playing music professionally in her childhood, performing as a violinist in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age 5. In 2006, Spalding released her first album, Junjo. In 2008, she released her self-titled album. Her third studio album, Chamber Music Society, was released in 2010 and resulted in Spalding winning her first Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Her sixth studio record, 12 Little Spells, was released in 2019. In addition to writing and performing music, Esperanza Spalding has also worked as an instructor, first at the Berklee College of Music, followed by, being appointed professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University, a position she resigned from in 2022.