Multi award-winning vocalist Nqobile Mchunu or Talie Monin (as she is known in the jazz world) was born in Durban, South Africa, of Zulu heritage, and raised in the culturally rich city of Johannesburg.
Her music career began at an early age when she sang along to the music her father loved and played around the home, including a wide range of artists from Pat Metheny, Yellowjackets, Ivan Lins, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Franks, Salif Keita, and other premier artists of the 70s and 80s all the way back to the classic jazz vocal era of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday.
At the age of 16, Talie took up the serious study of vocal jazz after winning a major talent contest in South Africa. In 2005, she overcame a highly competitive field of singers to emerge as finalist in the prestigious ‘Yamaha Vocal Competition’ in Johannesburg.
Talie later studied jazz vocal training at the American School of Modern Music in Paris in 2009 and was accepted at the highly regarded Sarah Lazarus Vocal Atelier at Bill Evans Piano Academy in Paris in 2011.
Since moving to Hong Kong with her husband in 2014, Talie Monin has enjoyed a stellar career singing contemporary jazz, Brazilian and world music across Asia. She is a first-call vocalist at numerous live venues and enjoys a busy career as a studio singer as well.
In 2017, Talie performed at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and there won the ‘Audience Choice Award’ from Shure.
She cites her African homeland as well as the rhythms and music of Brazil as major influences on how she sings. At the same time she remains a serious student of the Great American Songbook and the singers and songwriters that brought that music to life.
Current Professional Performance Venues
-Orange Peel Jazz Club (HK)
-Salon 10 (HK)
-Fringe Club (HK)
-FCC (HK)
-Peel Fresco (HK)
-Dada Lounge (HK
