Malou Oheix from France Wins First Place in 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition at Fondation Louis Vuitton

Hosted by Jeremy Irons, honoring Arturo Sandoval with tribute to Frank Gehry introduced by Special Guest Gustavo Dudamel

PARIS, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Malou Oheix, age 27, from France won the 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition presented in partnership and with the support of Fondation Louis Vuitton. The Competition Finals concluded a landmark weekend in Paris, marking the first time in its nearly four-decade history this prestigious Competition has been held outside the United States. Oheix received the $50,000 First Place Scholarship, presented onstage by Jean-Paul Claverie, Advisor to the President and Administrator of the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Selected on Saturday by an all-star jury comprising Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Angélique Kidjo, Gretchen Parlato and Gregory Porter, the three finalists took the stage on Sunday evening in the Fondation Louis Vuitton Auditorium.

First-place winner Malou Oheix delivered two contrasting performances, displaying captivating vulnerability in "I'm Glad There Is You" and a bold and playful interpretation of Michael Brecker's "Madame Toulouse."

Second-place winner Georgia Heers delivered a flawless performance of "Moon Don't Come Out Tonight," followed by a beautifully narrated rendition of "Thou Swell." While third-place winner Lucy-Anne Daniels offered a powerful Afro-Cuban interpretation of "Nature Boy" and a distinctive take on "Old Devil Moon."

Throughout the Competition, the vocalists were accompanied by a transformative rhythm section featuring Carmen Staaf on piano, Ben Williams on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums.

Hosted by Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons, the Competition Finals & Gala transformed the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton into an international celebration of jazz, bringing together generations of leading artists and celebrating the music's deep and enduring relationship with Paris.

The evening honored 10-time GRAMMY Award winner Arturo Sandoval with the Institute's Maria Fisher Founder's Award, presented by Herbie Hancock in recognition of Sandoval's extraordinary artistry and contributions to jazz and music education. An international all-star ensemble featuring musical director John Beasley, Till Brönner, Terri Lyne Carrington, Nils Landgren, John Patitucci and Walter Smith III saluted Sandoval with "Caprichosos de La Habana." After accepting the honor, Sandoval took the stage for an intimate performance of Charlie Chaplin's classic "Smile" with Patitucci and Carrington.

Gustavo Dudamel, special guest of the evening, led a personal tribute to the late visionary architect Frank Gehry, a longtime Board member and friend of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The moment took on special significance at Fondation Louis Vuitton, Gehry's architectural masterpiece in Paris, whose origins date to 2001, when Bernard Arnault met Gehry after visiting the architect's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Dudamel reflected on Gehry's life, creative spirit and far-reaching contributions to art, architecture and culture. Berta Gehry, Frank Gehry's wife, was among the guests in attendance. The tribute culminated in the world premiere of The Ever-Changing World, a new composition by acclaimed Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez, commissioned by the Institute in Gehry's honor. Pérez was joined by Till Brönner, Walter Smith III, Tineke Postma, Sébastien Surel, Pierre-François Dufour, John Patitucci and Terri Lyne Carrington for the work's two movements, "Us" and "Optimistic Chaos."

Under the musical direction of two-time GRAMMY Award-winning pianist, composer and arranger John Beasley, the Gala also traced Paris' remarkable place in jazz history. Dee Dee Bridgewater joined by Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander for "J'ai Deux Amours" as a salute to Josephine Baker.

Herbie Hancock was joined by Ambrose Akinmusire, the 2007 Institute Trumpet Competition winner, marking the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane with a stirring rendition of "So What," honoring two jazz giants whose lives and legacies were deeply intertwined with Paris.

The celebration continued with an all-star interpretation of Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare," evoking the pioneering pianist's years in the French capital, before Gregory Porter brought the evening's musical journey to a fitting close with "April in Paris."

The Gala also featured the Herbie Hancock Institute Ensemble, which opened the evening with a special arrangement of the jazz standard "Autumn Leaves." These gifted young musicians from around the world receive full scholarships to attend the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, the Institute's prestigious master's degree program at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles.

The Competition and Gala were presented by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz in partnership and with the support of Fondation Louis Vuitton. The weekend's events reached audiences around the world via livestream on FLV Play, medici.tv and in 4K on YouTube. 

Air transportation for the artists and the international roster of competitors was provided by United Airlines, the Official Airline of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

Press selects by Steve Mundinger:
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For more information on the Institute visit www.hancockinstitute.org.