"Jazz has always been a melting pot of influences and I plan to incorporate them all."

• Born Esperanza Emily Spalding Oct. 18, 1984, in Portland, Oregon

• After her GRAMMY win for Best New Artist for 2010, Spalding's third album, Chamber Music Society, re-entered the Billboard 200 at No. 34 and became the best-selling contemporary jazz album of the year. 

• Spalding earned her first GRAMMY win for Best New Artist for 2010. 

• Spalding became the youngest faculty member at the Berklee College of Music at age 20.

• Spalding performed with GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session students during GRAMMY Week in 2012. She also participated in GRAMMY U SoundChecks installments, having a discussion and live performance with students, in New York (2012), Washington, D.C., (2013) and New Orleans (2016).

• The bassist/singer organized a benefit concert for Free the Slaves, an organization that raises awareness about slavery worldwide. She donated a portion of the proceeds from her spring 2013 tour to environmental group Earthjustice.