Stella Cole

A preternaturally gifted artist who broke through to widespread fame through a viral TikTok video of her performance of the Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg classic “Over the Rainbow,” Illinois-born, New York-based vocalist Stella Cole is a wildly acclaimed and self-assured young jazz singer on the rise. For her first appearance on the Miner stage, she presents a soaring holiday-themed program of music with strings, accompanied by the Bay Area’s Del Sol Quartet. 

Considering how the public first discovered Cole, it’s only fitting that the now 27-year-old found what would be her lifelong fascination with music while watching Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz at age three. 

While still a student at Northwestern during the COVID pandemic, Cole began posting impromptu videos of her singing, which immediately captured public attention. 

Upon arriving in New York, Cole paid her dues before lining up higher profile gigs throughout the city incuding Birdland and Dizzy’s Club, and recording her eponymous 2023 debut album, produced by Matt Pierson (Jane Monheit, Pat Metheny).  

Her career since then has been a whirlwind, touring the world as a solo act and with Postmodern Jukebox, and releasing her 2024 holiday EP Snow!, from which this performance will draw. Her latest album is the 2025 Decca session It’s Magic, featuring GRAMMY-winning pianist and arranger Alan Broadbent.