Argentina-born, New York-based vocalist Anita Donndorff presents a stunning new album in collaboration with bassist and arranger Paul Sikivie and guitarist Peter Bernstein plus a host of Argentinian musicians on her Fresh Sound New Talent Records debut, set for release June 06, 2025.

Donndorff’s story is one of artistic exploration and reinvention. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, she completed her formal music education at Escuela de Música Contemporánea (EMC). But it was outside the classroom where her jazz education truly flourished. “There isn’t a jazz school for singers in Argentina,” she explains. “I studied contemporary music and took jazz ensemble classes. I also had private teachers—most importantly, Juan Cruz de Urquiza, a respected jazz musician in Argentina. He really guided me.”

Her first introduction to jazz came during her college years. “I went to a school where we had various ensembles—tango, folk, pop, jazz—and once I tried jazz, I knew that was it. I took all the jazz ensemble levels,” she says. “Before that, in high school, I only had classical vocal training.”

By the time she left Argentina in 2023, Donndorff had become one of the most popular young voices on the Buenos Aires jazz scene. “Before leaving, I had built a reputation not just as a singer of standards, but as someone who had a unique voice and vision. My shows always had a mix of original music, original arrangements, and lesser-known compositions by jazz artists, sometimes with my own lyrics in Spanish or English.”

Her transition to the U.S. began a few years earlier, however: “I got my artist visa in 2023, but I had been traveling to New York a lot in 2021 and 2022. I built a community here, even though I couldn’t work.”

In New York, Donndorff dove headfirst into the scene, performing alongside jazz luminaries such as Peter Bernstein, Ed Cherry, Héctor Martignon and others. Her ability to move fluently between languages and genres—jazz, boleros, tango, bossa nova—has made her a versatile and sought-after performer. She has appeared in venues including New York’s The Django, Hero, and The Pierre.

Donndorff’s new album is the result of years of careful planning and collaboration, particularly with bassist and arranger Paul Sikivie, best known for his work with Cécile McLorin Salvant and Aaron Diehl. “I already knew Paul’s playing from Cecile’s music, and when I heard his EP I’m in the Mood for Love in 2020, I immediately thought, ‘This is the person I want to arrange my next album.’”

The project was recorded in two phases across two continents. “Paul always loved Argentina and used to vacation there, so we decided to record in Buenos Aires with a full band,” she explains. “It was a project that just wasn’t financially possible in New York.”

Core sessions were tracked at Estudios ION in February 2022 with a world-class ensemble. “We recorded live in the studio—very few takes of each song. No one recorded separately,” she recalls. The sessions featured Dante Picca (piano), Eloy Michelini (drums), Sergio Wagner (trumpet), Guido Baucia (tenor sax), Juan Canosa (trombone), Ramiro Penovi (guitar), Carolina Cohen (congas), and Felipe Arce (double bass) on “The Great City.” A standout moment is Donndorff’s duet with fellow Argentine vocalist Sol Liebeskin on the soulful “Thirsty Soul.”

To complete the project, she enlisted the legendary Peter Bernstein for two intimate duets—“Charade” and “Ana Luiza”—recorded at Flux Studios in New York in August 2024. “I first heard Peter in Buenos Aires in 2015, before I was even singing jazz,” she recalls. “When I moved to New York, I went to see him every chance I got.”

While this record draws heavily from jazz standards, it’s also a deeply personal statement. “I didn’t do this album to get on a label,” Donndorff says. “I just wanted to document the first phase of my career. I recorded it in 2022, but I already knew I wanted my next project to be original music.”

Donndorff is currently exploring options for presenting the album live. “The album arrangements are for a large ensemble—around ten musicians. I’ve done it with six before and it worked, so I’d probably do a smaller version,”

Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future

As she prepares for the release, Donndorff is also planting the seeds for what’s next. “I’m already working on my next project—primarily jazz, but not exclusively—and most of the songs will be mine,” she says. “I’ve also been writing lyrics for other artists’ compositions, and I’m very excited about some of them.”

Though she hasn’t yet toured the U.S. or Europe, she’s eager to share this new music with audiences worldwide. “This is the perfect opportunity to present my work in new places.”

Through it all, Donndorff remains grounded in a multicultural identity that she embraces fully. “I do seek to forge my own path, and often it’s far from my national identity,” she reflects. “But I will always be influenced by my culture. I can’t avoid that—and I love it.”

Anita Donndorff’s new album will be available on Fresh Sound New Talent Records in June 2025 on all major streaming platforms and physical formats.

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