Raised in Brooklyn by a Haitian mother, Melanie Charles grew up immersed in jazz, gospel, and Haitian music. She began singing in church and later studied classical voice and flute at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts .

She continued her studies at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, training under jazz legends including Reggie Workman, Junior Mance, Bobby Sanabria, Carla Cook, and Billy Harper .

Her genre-bending artistry has led her to work with Wynton Marsalis, SZA, Mach-Hommy, Gorillaz, and The Roots, and to perform at major venues worldwide: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Blue Note NYC, Billboard Live Tokyo, Ronnie Scott’s London, and more .

In 2017, she appeared on Gorillaz’s Humanz album, and in 2021, her NPR Tiny Desk performance brought her international acclaim. Her album Y’all Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women reimagines jazz standards through a political and emotional lens, honoring Black women’s voices and histories .

Her movement Make Jazz Trill Again (2016) reflects her mission to bring jazz back to the people, especially youth and marginalized communities .

Melanie Charles continues to redefine modern jazz with authenticity, experimentation, and deep cultural grounding.