RISING STAR VOCALIST STELLA COLE ANNOUNCES LIVE AT CAFÉ CARLYLE
FIRST SINGLE “PURE IMAGINATION” OUT NOW
Kicks Off US Tour Dates With NYC Café Carlyle Residency May 12–16
08 MAY 2026 (TORONTO, ON) – Today, acclaimed vocalist Stella Cole announces the release of her forthcoming live album Live at Café Carlyle, arriving June 26 via Decca Records US. Captured during her sold-out 2025 debut residency at the legendary New York venue, the album offers an intimate portrait of one of today’s most compelling young interpreters of the Great American Songbook. The announcement coincides with her highly anticipated return to Café Carlyle for a five-night engagement, running May 12–16, alongside a run of US tour dates this spring and summer.
Recorded in one of New York City’s most storied rooms, Live at Café Carlyle captures Stella’s heartfelt approach to timeless repertoire with warmth, charm, and effortless sophistication. Backed by trio Michael Kanan (piano), Michael Migliore (bass) and Hank Allen-Barfield (drums), she delivers a program that blends romance, wit, and youthful freshness, breathing new life into beloved classics while remaining deeply rooted in tradition. The album will be available on vinyl, CD, and digital formats, with the first single a rendition of, “Pure Imagination,” from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, offering an early glimpse into the collection.
Pre-order the album and listen to the single here.
Produced by Grammy-winner Matt Pierson, and mixed and mastered by Christopher Allen, the album was recorded by Tyler McDiarmid during Stella’s Café Carlyle residency from June 17–21, 2025. As her first live album, the release captures not only the immediacy of her vocal performance but also the uniquely intimate atmosphere of the Carlyle, where audience connection and storytelling are central to the experience. The repertoire reflects her deep connection to film and classic standards, featuring songs she first encountered through renowned movies, from golden-age Hollywood musicals to timeless cinematic ballads, all reimagined through her distinctive voice and emotional clarity.
Hailing from Springfield, Illinois, Stella first garnered widespread attention through luminous interpretations of classic American standards shared online, quickly building a devoted following and earning praise from artists such as James Taylor. Her rise has since taken her to stages including Birdland, Carnegie Hall, and Madison Square Garden, while her performances continue to resonate with audiences discovering this music both digitally and in celebrated live settings.
Her most recent studio release, It’s Magic, was produced by Pierson and arranged by Alan Broadbent. It showcased her gift for intimate storytelling through a lush collection of vintage love songs. With Live at Café Carlyle, Stella brings that same emotional clarity and vocal maturity into a live setting, offering listeners a front-row seat to an evening of nostalgia, elegance, and timeless song.
The Carlyle itself provides the perfect backdrop for this recording—a room long synonymous with the Great American Songbook and legendary residencies. Stella’s return marks a continuation of that legacy as a new generation of listeners discovers these songs through her singular voice and perspective.
Currently on tour, Stella will bring her live show to audiences across the country before and after her Carlyle residency, continuing to bridge generations through her interpretations of classic repertoire.
Live at Café Carlyle Track List (CD and digital):
1. Love Walked In
2. Pure Imagination
3. Singin’ in the Rain Introduction
4. Singin’ in the Rain
5. It’s Magic
6. Till There Was You
7. It Had to Be You
8. I Happen to Like New York
9. As Time Goes By Introduction
10. As Time Goes By
11. Something Good (from The Sound of Music)
12. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
13. Cry Me A River
14. He’s A Tramp
15. Moon River
16. Anything Goes
17. When the Sun Comes Out
18. Over The Rainbow Introduction
19. Over The Rainbow
Live at Café Carlyle Track List (vinyl):
SIDE A
1. Love Walked In
2. Pure Imagination
3. Singin’ in the Rain Introduction
4. Singin’ in the Rain
5. It’s Magic
6. It Had to Be You
SIDE B
1. I Happen to Like New York
2. Moon River Introduction
3. Moon River
4. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
5. Till There Was You
6. He’s a Tramp
7. Over the Rainbow Introduction
8. Over the Rainbow
Tour Dates:
May 12–16 – Café Carlyle – New York, NY
May 27 – MIM – Phoenix, AZ
May 28–29 – Yoshi’s – Oakland, CA
May 30 – Sapphire Room – Boise, ID
June 1 – Dakota – Minneapolis, MN
June 3 – Hoogland Center – Springfield, IL
June 4 – Martin Theatre, Ravinia – Chicago, IL
June 25 – Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
June 26 – BARC Theatre – Cresco, PA
July 16–19 – Birdland – New York, NY
July 25 - Caroga Like Music Festival – Caroga Lake, NY
July 26 - City Winery Hudson Valley – Montgomery, NY
July 29 - Wave Hill – Bronx, NY
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