Madeleine Peyroux

Renowned for her interpretive song skills, Madeleine Peyroux followed her creative muse on 2009’s Bare Bones by challenging herself to write a full album of her own compositions. Now with Standing On the Rooftop, she delves deeper into her reinvention, not only writing the bulk of the songs but also pushing past any preconceived notions about her music and daring herself to expand her sonic template. “I wanted to explore some new sounds,” says Peyroux, best known for her stunning, gold-certified 2004 album, Careless Love. “That would be the most exciting thing that I could think of as a musician. I’ve been recording my voice and my guitar together long enough to know this was not the limit.” Peyroux, who was named Best International Jazz Artist at the 2007 BBC Jazz Awards, has lost none of her compelling ability to reinvent a lyric and give it soul-shaking meaning through her intricately nuanced vocal shadings. Now she has broadened her musical palette, embracing an organic, American roots sound.