Vanessa Matthys is a Belgian jazz vocalist who moves effortlessly between intimacy and intensity, weaving together storytelling, improvisation and a deeply personal sound. Her music is rooted in the jazz tradition, yet constantly reaches beyond it - towards subtle textures, lyrical depth and unexpected colours.
In May 2026, she releases The Secret Vault, her debut album as a bandleader, with the Vanessa Matthys Quartet - an international ensemble featuring Dominique Vantomme (piano), Werner Lauscher (bass) and Geert Roelofs (drums). The album presents a carefully crafted universe where contemporary jazz, traditional repertoire and timeless pop songs are reshaped into a coherent and distinctive sound. On stage, Vanessa Matthys creates space - for silence, for nuance, for connection. Her voice carries both clarity and depth, allowing melodies to unfold naturally while leaving room for interplay and improvisation. The result is music that feels at once intimate and expansive: grounded, yet searching; refined, yet full of life.
Vanessa graduated with a Master’s degree in jazz vocals from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where she studied with David Linx, and further developed her artistry at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. Early on, she was recognized as a finalist in the International Jazz Vocal Competition in Riga, marking the beginning of a path shaped by both artistic curiosity and refinement.
Over the years, Vanessa has built a diverse and international practice. She has appeared as a soloist with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra and collaborated with a wide range of musicians across the European jazz scene. In 2022, she toured Flanders and Austria with her father, pianist and composer Marc Matthys, presenting a tribute to Toots Thielemans - later released as the album Time Flies, Sit Back and Enjoy.
Her more recent work reflects a growing interest in reimagining repertoire. In collaboration with pianist Ivan Paduart, she explores the meeting point between the Belgian and American Songbook, blending original compositions with inventive arrangements that highlight her narrative approach to music.
Alongside her artistic work, Vanessa is actively engaged in research and education. As a researcher at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp (2020–2023), she co-developed an innovative approach to jazz vocal technique with Katrien Van Opstal, resulting in the book Jazz Vocal Technique – the Mixing Table Model (Auurk, 2023). She currently teaches jazz vocals and coordinates the jazz department at the Conservatory of Kortrijk.