The massively talented vocalist, composer, band-leader, and multi-instrumentalist, Joanna Majoko, has blown away audiences with her sultry voice and passion. Majoko was born in Germany, but moved to Zimbabwe, where she would grow up participating in choirs, drum ensembles, and traditional Zimbabwean dance groups. The multi-faceted musician can switch from neo-soul and jazz standards, to playing the caxixi and the claves, in a heartbeat.

Following a brief move to South Africa, her family would make their way to Manitoba, Canada, when she was 14. At the University of Manitoba, Majoko would immerse herself in the world jazz. She moved to Toronto as part of the next stage in her career, finding success with festivals, radio stations, and club programs, where she would appear as both guest vocalist and with her own group. She became a fixture at the Harbourfront Centre and the Canadian Opera Company’s Richard Bradshaw Ampitheatre.

Majoko has performed in the bandstand presence of musicians Jane Bunnet and Maqueque, David Clayton-Thomas, and Larnell Lewis. She has taken her sound global, performing at some of the largest jazz festivals in the world including, Montreal’s Jazz Festival, France’s Jazz sur son 31 Festival, and Switzerland’s Internationales Jazz Festival Bern.

Majoko has an impressive arsenal of accolades already in her career, including, Emerging Artist at the 2021 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards, and Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2019 ByBlacks Peoples Choice Awards. Her work with all-female jazz group, The Ostara Project, has earned her two Juno-nominations. A strong believer in musical education, Majoko dedicates part of her time teaching a Master Class at both Humber College and the University of Toronto. She loves the feeling of making a postive impact on her students.

Combining jazz standards with the rhythm and soul of her up-bringing, her debut EP, No Holding Back, narrates her history with a vision for the future.