Dessy Di Lauro

Dessy di Lauro encountered a blend of timeless and modern sounds, ranging from Sarah Vaughan to Luther Vandross, during her upbringing in Montreal, Quebec, thanks to her parents' vinyl collection. Her vocal journey began in gospel choirs before she advanced into studio sessions providing backing vocals. An audition victory for Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba led her to relocate to Orlando, Florida. Although this phase advanced her professional path, she faced domestic abuse and channeled her energy into songwriting and home recordings. Following her departure from the abusive situation, she went back to Montreal and finished her adult contemporary R&B EP A Study of a Woman's Soul (2004), assisted by instrumentalist and producer Ric'key Pageot. She and Pageot then headed to Los Angeles for Cirque du Soleil's Delirium project. Now married, the pair developed their signature neo-ragtime approach, introducing it through the 2010 single "Why U Raggin'." After several years of live shows and further studio work, Di Lauro issued the lighthearted This Is Neo-Ragtime (2013) on Crazyglue Music.