Tutu Puoane

She received several awards from major South African jazz competitions. In 2000 she won the old mutual jazz encounters for Cape region and in 2001 she received a merit award for young promising talent at the Daimler Chrysler South African jazz competition. When she completed her vocal studies at the music college of the University of Cape, a recording contract from a major South African music record label was already offered to her but she turned it down. She accepted a greater opportunity offered by Dutch pianist Jack van Poll – who was living and teaching in Cape Town at the time – to go and study in Europe and enhance her career as a jazz vocalist and a performer. In 2002 September, Tutu moved to Europe and stayed in The Netherlands studying further for almost two years at the royal conservatory of The Hague (Netherlands) with Rachel Gould. She then relocated to Antwerp in Belgium, her current home where she’s working steadily on her career. Tutu was the recipient of the standard bank young artist of the year award for music in 2004. She released two albums with her Europe band, first album called Song 2007 and second album called Quiet Now in 2009 which won the SAMA Award for the 2010 Best Traditional Jazz Album. Both albums were received very well internationally which led to Miss Puoane’s receiving an invite from the Brussels Jazz Orchestra to work with them. The musical journey between Tutu and Brussels Jazz Orchestra resulted in to a creation of an album titled Mama Africa celebrating the Music Icon Miriam Makeba; this album scored them a SAMA for Best Traditional Jazz Album of 2011. In 2019, she appeared on jazz composer Michel Herr's album "Positive". Tutu’s musical journey has landed all over the world in countries such as Italy, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Luxemburg, Switzerland and USA.

Tutu Puoane studied at University of Cape Town and Royal Conservatory of The Hague. The recorded working language is English and Sepedi. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are jazz. Residence is recorded at Antwerp. Employment is recorded with Brussels Jazz Orchestra and Metropole Orkest. Distinctions recorded are Young Artist of the Year and South African Music Awards.

• Name — Tutu Puoane • Birthplace — Atteridgeville, Pretoria • Occupation — Singer • Genre — Jazz • Instrument — Vocals