Judette Elliston (she/her) is a Haitian-Canadian vocalist, composer, and improviser based in Brooklyn, New York. For Elliston, capturing how we move through grief, trauma, and joy is at the forefront of her singing and storytelling. While her artistic voice is rooted in jazz, singer-songwriter and folk influences can also be heard in her music. Her originals, which are a hybrid of tender lyrics and adventurous harmony have been described as a cross between Billy Strayhorn and Joni Mitchell.

An active bandleader and side-woman, Elliston has performed at venues and festivals such as Lincoln Center (USA), Rockwood Music Hall (USA), and The Victoria Jazz Festival (CANADA). More recently, Elliston has incorporated reinterpretations of Haitian folk songs in her repertoire. The introduction of new instruments and jazz influences to these songs results in a sonic merging of past and present. When she is not performing with her own group, Elliston can be found singing in Hush Tones - her duo with pianist PJ Fossum and playing synth in The Crystal Rose Band. 

Recent artistic endeavors include scoring Reminiscence - a community-based theatre performance project exploring the experience of 6 international women living in New York City, singing on Alyssa Chetrick’s EP What Blooms in The Dark, and conducting Afterwork Theatre’s first choir.