“Acuña’s elemental lyrics evoke a life-affirming message, and their musical settings, though rooted in jazz, lean… toward folk-rock and nueva canción.”
— DownBeat

“With sparse instrumentation that provides an open platform for her exquisite vocals, Acuña honors her upbringing and the legacy of Latin American songwriters.”
— WBGO

“Acuña’s voice is a beautifully uncomplicated alto with a pungent distilled purity.”
— All About Jazz

Claudia Acuña is a Latin GRAMMY-nominated bandleader, vocalist, and composer and a 2023 NPR Tiny Desk Concert artist. Born in Santiago, Chile and raised in Concepción, Acuña established herself on the Chilean jazz scene in her early 20s. Arriving in New York City in 1995, Acuña quickly gained recognition as a leading voice in the New York Jazz scene, rapidly transformed by collaborations with a wave of brilliant Latin American musicians. Acuña is celebrated for her vision of blending her South American folk music with Jazz and World Music.

Whether putting her stamp on popular Latin American ballads, reimagining jazz standards from a South American perspective, or infusing Afro-Caribbean material with a wide rhythmic sensibility, Acuña stands out as a passionate and emotionally incisive singer with a gleaming, burnished bronze tone.

Acuña is known for collaborations with Jazz masters Harry Whitaker, Arturo O'Farrill, Guillermo Klein, Branford Marsalis, George Benson, Kenny Barron, Louie Vega, Tom Harrell, Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, San Carlo Di Napoli Symphony Orchestra, and more.

Her seven albums as a bandleader have established Acuña as a creative force, from her debut album Wind from the South on Verve Records, making her the first Latin American vocalist signed by a major label. Other albums include Rhythm of Life (Verve), Luna (MaxJazz), In These Shoes (Zoho Music), and En Este Momento (Marsalis Music), all which received critical acclaim. For 2019’s Turning Pages, she received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Album. In 2022 she released DUO, fulfilling a longtime desire to record a duets album of songs.

Acuña has received numerous honors. She was nominated for Person of the Year, recognized for Music and Humanitarian contributions in Chile. She was also honored to receive the Keys to the City of her hometown in Concepción, Chile. In 2024, Acuña received the Award of Recognition from the Chilean Chamber of Commerce in New York City for her career in Music.

Her recent appearances include International Jazz Day with the Herbie Hancock Institute, Newport Jazz Festival, and a program at Carnegie Hall celebrating Acuña’s career and the Latin American songbook. Acuña is also a recent Chamber Music America grantee, and she will release a new album in May 2026.