Jazz singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant has been awarded a fellowship with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. She is the only musician in this year’s group of “genius grant” recipients. She joins several other scientists, writers, and scholars among the 2020 honorees, who will each receive $625,000 to use over five years.
The foundation recognized Salvant for “using manifold powers of interpretation to infuse jazz standards and original compositions with a vibrant, global, Black, feminist sensibility.” Her most recent studio album was 2018’s The Window.
Last year’s group of MacArthur fellows included guitarist Mary Halvorson.