Malissa Rush

Malissa Rush is a Calgary-based jazz vocalist known for her warm, expressive voice and playful approach to both classic and contemporary repertoire. Drawn to music with wit, romance and a little mischief, she brings a modern sensibility to jazz while embracing the glamour, femininity and storytelling of an earlier era.

Inspired by legendary vocalists including Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie Cole, Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee and Julie London, Malissa is especially drawn to songs that balance sophistication with a cheeky sense of fun. Her love of vintage style with a modern twist has also been shaped by Postmodern Jukebox and artists such as Morgan James, Haley Reinhart and Robyn Adele Anderson. Reimagining contemporary pop songs through a jazz lens has become an important part of her repertoire, alongside standards from the Great American Songbook.

Malissa has become an active presence in Calgary’s jazz community, performing regularly with EH TRAIN Music Ensembles and frequently appearing as a guest vocalist with the Woodhouse Big Band and the Fox Big Band. She has performed at venues including the Ironwood Stage & Grill, the Blues Can, the King Eddy, Gulbar and The Attic Bar & Stage. In 2024, she placed third in the National Music Centre’s Mid-Autumn Star singing competition.

In 2026, Malissa debuted Let’s Misbehave, her first headlining cabaret at The Attic. Conceived and curated by Malissa, the show explored the playful, romantic and slightly risqué side of the Great American Songbook and marked an important step in developing her own voice as an artist and bandleader.

Malissa continues to deepen her artistry through ongoing study in jazz phrasing, interpretation, improvisation and musicianship while developing performances that feel personal, conversational and distinctly her own. Alongside her performing career, she also teaches voice and is completing training as a voice educator and performance mindset coach.