Barbara Barth

Photo: Barbara Barth by Juliane Guder>

“She can scat like hell, hiss, scream, whisper, breathe, and also sing old songs beautifully—a captivating variety of facets and nuances…” (JazzZeitung 2020)

Her openness to a wide variety of musical influences is also reflected in the seven albums she has released to date. In a diverse range of ensembles, Barbara Barth develops a distinctive vocal expression that combines technical precision with emotional depth and great improvisational freedom.

Cologne-based jazz singer, vocal instructor, and licensed psychologist, Barbara Barth first earned a degree in psychology before pursuing her true passion: jazz singing. Her subsequent studies at the renowned Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen had a lasting impact on her artistic style and opened up an extraordinary range of musical styles for her.

Loving to experiment, the singer moves effortlessly between a wide variety of musical worlds—from jazz and improvised music to electronic sound aesthetics and avant-garde forms of expression. In doing so, Barbara Barth views her voice not only as a means of interpreting lyrics, but also as an instrument in its own right: at times lyrical and finely nuanced, at others percussive, freely improvising, and full of sonic facets.

Barbara Barth teaches jazz singing, improvisation, and ear training. In addition, as a psychological counselor at various art and music colleges, she combines her passion for music and psychology. As a member of the jazz collective PENG—which was awarded the German Jazz Prize in 2025 and the WDR Jazz Prize in 2021—she is also deeply committed to promoting gender equality and fair structures in the cultural sector.