Barbara Wiernik
Barbara Wiernik is a Belgian jazz singer, songwriter, and lyricist whose distinctive voice has become a recognised presence on the European jazz scene. A graduate of the Koninklijk Conservatorium van Brussel, she was deeply influenced by the teaching of David Linx, who encouraged her to explore and shape her own vocal identity. She later continued her studies with British singer Norma Winstone, whose open and poetic approach to singing has profoundly influenced the way Barbara conveys emotion through music.
A first trip to India in 1999 marked a decisive step in her artistic journey. She immersed herself in Carnatic music, training with R.A. Ramamani, and discovered a different approach to voice, breath, and ornamentation. This experience deeply nourished her musical imagination and left a lasting imprint on her singing and improvisation.
Over the course of her career, she has released several albums under her own name, acclaimed for their depth, freedom, and strong sense of storytelling. Eclipse with pianist Jozef Dumoulin and Soul of Butterflies reveal the breadth of her vocal world. Complicity, a duo project with Nicola Andrioli, highlights an intimate and luminous musical dialogue. Ellipse opens a period of sonic exploration where contemporary textures, refined melodies, and airy improvisations intertwine.
In 2026, she releases Between Whispers on Igloo Records, a new album bringing together artists from different European scenes around a shared intention: exploring the voice as a space for encounter and transformation. Vocalists and instrumentalists meet in pieces where timbres, textures, and resonances interact. Rooted in her doctoral research, the album extends a desire for deep connection and reveals a strong collective energy.
Alongside her artistic work, Barbara maintains a long-standing commitment to teaching. For more than twenty years, she has been teaching jazz singing and mentoring young musicians in several conservatories across Belgium. Passionate about pedagogy, she is particularly interested in how singers develop a personal identity through vocal jazz.
She is also a researcher at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, where she is currently writing a doctoral thesis on contemporary jazz singers in Europe. Her work explores the practices, influences, and developments of the jazz voice within an ever-evolving musical landscape.
Official Website
