Biography
Born in 1995 in Kaliningrad, Russia, Ekaterina Shelehova emerged as a contemporary vocalist whose career spans opera stages in Canada and Italy alongside a widely viewed appearance on Italia’s Got Talent. She also serves as lead singer for the French new age ensemble Era and has issued numerous tracks across streaming services. Music entered her life almost immediately; as an infant she echoed melodies from her older brother’s piano sessions, and at age three she began formal vocal instruction. The next year she made her first public appearances and contributed to the Russian children’s album Дождичай. After relocating with her family to Hamilton, Ontario, she completed her schooling and passed the rest of her childhood there. During high school she enrolled at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, participating in masterclasses led by Jean MacPhail, Alexandra Pasko, and David Varjabed. Around the same period she entered the Kiwanis competitions, taking first place in 2008, 2010, and 2012. In 2013 she issued her debut album, Moonlight, under the name Katya. The following year she moved to Italy to study at the Conservatorio di Milano, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in opera performance and appeared in several productions at Teatro Antonio Belloni in Barlassina. Through a partnership with the iSing Opera Academy she joined a 2019 tour that visited multiple Chinese cities. In 2020 she traveled to Mexico to explore improvisation, extended vocal techniques, and folk traditions. Her 2021 appearance on Italia’s Got Talent generated extensive media attention. Shifting focus from opera, she spent 2022 touring Europe as Era’s principal vocalist. She maintains a steady presence on social media and streaming platforms, regularly releasing solo singles and EPs.
Albums