Jazz/Pop - Described by PASTE as a "luminous singer," 24-year-old Philly chanteuse Melody Gardot has quietly built up a solid following with an acclaimed live show and an armful of sophisticated songs that's had critics raving and fans buzzing. Possessing a smoky, understated vocal style that falls somewhere between Billie Holiday and a subdued Fiona Apple, Gardot is at equally at ease with her own interpretations of jazz, blues and R+B standards as well as her own distinctive and timeless folk-based songs.

While recovering from a debilitating biking accident six years ago, Gardot turned to songwriting in her hospital bed, ruminating on the fragility of life and embracing a new, wise-beyond-her-years philosophy of self-dependence and determination. What has also emerged is an accomplished vocalist and songs that swing in the soft glow of reflective light and subtle, sensual heat. "I'm speaking in a way that's self-soothing," she says, "all of the songs come from moments I've lived and feelings I've had."

Forthcoming second full-length album My One and Only Thril, produced by Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Madeleine Peyroux, Julia Fordham), is a confident step forward bringing to the forefront the qualities that were glimpsed in her earlier recordings but now in full, triumphant view. We always knew that she could sing up a quiet storm -- and we knew that she could play and write. But what's most revealing are the arrangements and her vision as not just a performer but as a bandleader. On tracks such as her own "Who Will Comfort Me" or gently Rio-infused, percolating version of "Over the Rainbow", Gardot traverses jazz, blues and pop effortlessly, creating a wistful, but deeply personal and profound musical statement.

"In my eyes, there's two kinds of music," says Gardot. "There's the kind that rushes out at you, and the kind that settles in and lets you come to it. I prefer the latter of the two. I like the idea of hearing music in the distance; you're drawn to it and you want to know what it is. To me, that's beautiful, that's the essence of listening to music: discovering it. exploring it and finding those little spaces. To have it thrown out at you almost cheapens it." Watch the EPK video after the jump...

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