Kovacs

Recording as Kovacs, Dutch vocalist Sharon Kovacs possesses a darkly alluring voice steeped in soul that recalls Amy Winehouse. In her youth she joined bands and appeared at talent shows, yet withheld any serious career steps until after finishing high school, at which point she auditioned for Rock City Institute, the music school located in her native Eindhoven. Although accepted, she discovered a mismatch with the faculty. Reaching out to producer Oscar Holleman through social media, she impressed him sufficiently to initiate a partnership. Additional songwriters joined the project, and the resulting album was tracked in both Holland and Cuba. The ballad “My Love,” whose theatrical and mature tone belied the singer’s twenty-four years, emerged as the first single in 2014. That same year Kovacs gained wider attention through multiple live appearances, among them sets at Bospop and the North Sea Jazz Festival. Her debut album, Shades of Black, arrived in early 2015.