The Swingles have been redefining vocal music for over 60 years, earning 5 Grammy® Awards and establishing themselves as one of the world’s most admired and beloved vocal groups.

Through their many incarnations (Les Swingle Singers, Swingle II, The New Swingle Singers, The Swingle Singers, and since 2014, The Swingles again), their instantly recognizable sound and intricate arrangements have remained timeless and unparalleled. Today’s singers are masters of their craft, reimagining jazz, folk, pop, and classical music while also creating original material. Their use of close-microphone amplification, combined with the extraordinary range and vocal dexterity of seven individual voices, produces a seamlessly blended sound that has inspired composers and collaborators alike.

The story began in 1962 when American-born Ward Swingle brought together Parisian session singers to sing Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier as a vocal exercise. The resulting album, Jazz Sebastian Bach—originally recorded for friends and family—became an international success, launching The Swingles onto the world stage. Several of the original singers had previously sung with Mimi Perrin’s group Les Double Six, known for doubling recorded voices to achieve richer textures. Today, The Swingles carry on that spirit of innovation, employing live-looping technology to layer and expand their sound in real time, creating immersive and powerful musical landscapes.

The group has released more than 50 albums covering a vast range of styles, always guided by Ward Swingle’s pioneering spirit and eclectic tastes. Their arrangements either add a playful twist to the original or completely reinvent it. Their open approach to genre has led to collaborations with artists such as Jamie Cullum, Gareth Malone, Kurt Elling, New York Voices, and Labrinth. They co-wrote and performed the end credits song for Alexander Payne’s film Downsizing and have featured on numerous soundtracks, including Grey’s Anatomy, Sex and the City, Wedding Crashers, The Holdovers, The Two Popes, and Glee.

Their latest album, Theatreland (2024), offers a dazzling reimagining of some of musical theatre’s greatest songs.

The Swingles have also played a central role in contemporary classical music. Luciano Berio’s groundbreaking Sinfonia (1968) first showcased their amplified voices with orchestra, and the work has since become a modern classic. The Swingles remain its leading interpreters, performing with major ensembles including the San Francisco Symphony (Michael Tilson Thomas), ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (Marin Alsop), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Vladimir Jurowski), and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan (John Axelrod).

In 2024, they commissioned The Gorgeous Nothings by Anna Clyne, premiered at the BBC Proms to critical acclaim. With their deep heritage in experimental vocal and electronic music, The Swingles continue to push sonic boundaries and embrace the possibilities of new technologies and collaborations.

The Swingles are:
Mallika Bhagwat (India/UK), Sarah Alison (USA/UK), Laura Moisey-Gray (UK), James Botcher (UK), Owen Butcher (UK), Jamie Wright (UK), and Tom Hartley (UK).
Sound Engineer: Jacques Golding (UK)