Sabine McCalla over for summer festivals

For years, Sabine McCalla has captivated audiences in New Orleans with her soulful songwriting and magnetic performances, becoming a beloved presence among dancers and revelers alike. With the release of Don’t Call Me Baby, her first full-length album, she now steps onto the international stage. Co-produced alongside Sam Doores of the Deslondes and featuring some of New Orleans’ finest musicians, the album firmly defines Sabine’s unique take on multicultural American roots music. Blending influences that range from Brazilian samba and tropicalia to southern soul and rock ’n’ roll, Don’t Call Me Baby creates a rich and expansive sonic world.

Born to first-generation Haitian immigrants, Sabine grew up in New Jersey alongside her sister, Leyla McCalla (Sons of Our Native Daughters, Carolina Chocolate Drops). Her musical journey began early when she was introduced to chamber music and started studying classical violin at the age of eight, performing in orchestras, music camps, and conservatory programs. At home, however, her musical world expanded far beyond classical training. Surrounded by Motown classics, girl-group hits, Bob Marley records, Beatles songs, and Haitian folk music, Sabine absorbed a wide spectrum of sounds spanning generations and cultures. Drawn to the threads connecting these influences, she gradually shaped them into a style entirely her own.

Those musical connections are illuminated throughout Don’t Call Me Baby. Following her critically acclaimed Folk EP, the album moves effortlessly across genre and generation, blending country, R&B, folk, and soul into a sound that feels timeless yet entirely original.

American folk music has never originated from a single source. Instead, it has evolved through the meeting of cultures, traditions, and histories from around the world, transforming diversity into something unified and enduring. Don’t Call Me Baby reflects that same spirit. On her debut album, Sabine McCalla bridges the many sounds that have inspired her, reshaping them into something fresh and cohesive, all held together by a voice as warm, deep, and enveloping as the humid air of New Orleans.

Tour dates:
25/06 - 04/07: Ascona, CH - JazzAscona 
06/07 - 10/07: Peccioli, IT - Jazz Peccioli
12/07: Rotterdam, NL - North Sea Jazz
15/07: Haarlem, NL - Park Sessies
25/07: North Wiltshire, UK - WOMAD Festival
05/09: Saint-Aignan, FR - Noctambullerie