Helen Gillet is a singer-songwriter and surrealist-archeologist exploring synthesized sounds, texture, and rhythm using an acoustic cello.

Gillet is the recipient of the Doris Duke Performance Award, New Orleans Best Contemporary Jazz, and best Female Performer from Gambit Best of The Beat awards and Offbeat Magazine's Best "Other Instrumentalist" and "Mixed Bag" music and twice for Rising Star in Downbeat Magazine’s Critic Poll.

Gillet was born in Belgium and raised in Singapore for 9 years as a child. Over the past 23 years, living in New Orleans, she has played with musicians of all stripes, from avant-garde jazz and classical to pop and funk — Gillet has developed a singular polyglot style.

The core of her work is solo performance with live looping, layering cello parts and vocal lines. Rhythmic figures emerge with bowed or plucked ostinatos or a variety of rubbing and slapping on the body of the cello, then enhanced with melodies played or sung in her haunting alto.

Gillet’s solo performance is known for its enigmatic quality as she fabricates each song with innovative use of the cello and true mastery of live looping technology. She has performed in festivals across Europe, Australia, and the United States as a solo musician, collaborator, and educator.

Gillet has recorded for countless musicians throughout her career and has self-published 14 albums of her own original music, ranging from progressive jazz, electro folk rock and punk bands and solo singer-songwriting albums. Her latest album is called "ReBelle" a Tribute to Belgian folk singer Julos Beaucarne and features a quintet of New Orleans musicians.

You can find her online at helengillet.com or on Bandcamp at helengillet.bandcamp.com and on YouTube and Instagram at Helen Gillet.

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