Bursting onto the scene a little over two years ago, giuliette price is an avid member of the next wave of jazz artists emerging in South Africa right now, rightfully joining the ranks of Kujenga, Zoë Modiga, Mandisi Dyantyis and more.
She embarked on her musical journey at a young age, under the influence of her mother Janine Price, a renowned gospel worship leader. Originally from Johannesburg, giuliette made the move to Cape Town in 2021, when she began her studies in Jazz Voice at UCT’s South African College of Music.
She quickly began writing her own music whilst also balancing her academic career, and became actively engaged in live performances as well as community-building initiatives, fostering collaboration among young jazz musicians in the country.
She owes her passion for jazz to The Orbit, the undisputed home of jazz music in South Africa, and one of Joburg’s most iconic live music venues. giuliette worked there as a waitress whilst taking a gap year before they sadly closed their doors in 2019.
“That’s where I fell in love with jazz music,” she tells me. “My parents exposed me to all the classics when I was young, but it wasn’t until much later in life that I began to appreciate the genre.”
She takes contemporary inspiration from the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote and Amy Winehouse, while older influences include Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
Her debut EP, RATHER LIE, channels a soulful, vulnerable quality, with popular jazz harmony and relatable lyricism, exploring themes of love, lust, and heartbreak. It’s a truly captivating listen, championing giuliette’s unwavering commitment to her craft.
She’s since played some epic lineups, including the Artscape Youth Jazz Festival, the UCT Jazz Festival, Smalltown Beat, and was selected to join the National Youth Band at the Makhanda National Youth Jazz Festival this year. She also organised the hugely successful Peace For Palestine, raising R11 000.00 for the Gaza Relief Fund and Gift Of The Givers.
“My favourite live show so far has got to be Journey to Jazz, which I played in May. I performed all my original songs and we sold out which was amazing,” says giuliette. “Opening for Alice Phoebe Lou at The Old Biscuit Mill with Kujenga was also such a great experience.”
Playing shows of such magnitude doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges. “I remember before my performance on the Artscape stage, my knees were shaking,” giuliette tells me. The hurdles of live performance nerves is something every young artist will inevitably have to deal with, and giuliette can attest to that.
“I try to channel the nerves into a feeling of excitement,” she says. “Every time I get on stage, I remind myself that the audience is there to encourage you. They want to see you have fun, they want you to do well.”
giuliette’s rise within the local jazz scene is nothing short of meteoric. Passion and determination have brought her this far, and I’ve no doubt that she will continue her upwards trajectory in the years to come, always preserving her charming authenticity.
