Naarm/Melbourne based, Stella is a versatile guitarist, singer/songwriter, composer and performer, continually seeking for innovative sounds across genres. With an established background in jazz and composition, Stella’s practice has recently expanded to incorporate the singer/songwriter genre and aesthetic in her work. Recognised as a musician, a part of a new generation of jazz in Melbourne, her work has expanded and evolved in parallel with her life which has been transformed by becoming a mother. Stella’s new found pathways of experimentation in songwriting and the discovery of her voice as an expressive instrument is a lateral extension of the foundation of musicianship developed over decades as a practicing artist.

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 2007, Stella has become a highly sought-after session musician, performing with various artists such as Guy Sebastian, thndo, C.W Stoneking, Kylie Auldist, Nina Ferro and Clare Bowditch. She has toured domestically and internationally and her playing features on dozens of recordings across myriad genres.

As an ensemble leader and guitarist, Stella has released two instrumental albums; STAT and Paper Planes, that feature some of Australia’s most celebrated improvisers and has toured nationally performing these original works at venues and festivals including Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Northcote Rising Festival, Northcote Social Club (Melb), The Ellington (Perth) and Lazybones (Sydney).

Stella’s evolution into songwriting will be represented in an upcoming release in August 2025, inspired and influenced by a community of artists that surround her in Naarm, allowing this new work to be a reflection of the diversity of artists and artistic practice in Australia’s cultural capital city.

Recent career highlights include Banff Jazz and Sonic Arts residency (2024) where she was mentored by Shabaka Hutchings and Ganavya, Mentorship with Aaron Choulai through the Australian Art Orchestra (2023), performing at Bluesfest (Women of Soul, 2024), Clarence Jazz Festival (2024), guest artist at Sydney’s Sound Sorcery jam (2024), National Folk Festival (2023) and STAT performing for Melbourne International Jazz Festival (2023).

Current projects and activities include guitarist and backing vocalist for artists such as John Flanagan, ISEULA, Sal Kimber, LHËON, Women of Soul Collective and the JazzLab Orchestra.

Beyond her performance career, Stella is dedicated to mentorship and education, having lent her expertise to not-for-profit organisation YoWo Music, which is a band program that aims to promote gender equity in the music scene, while empowering and nurturing the next generation of young women and gender-diverse musicians.