Originally from New Zealand, now based in London, Rietta Austin is a session vocalist, voice coach, dancer and actor who has featured on several successful worldwide 'Hedkandi' and 'Ministry of Sound' releases. As one of Australasias leading vocalists, she is versed in anything from Jazz, Soul and RnB, to Pop and Rock. As well as fronting various bands down under Rietta has been a regular featured artist at the Harrahs Casinos worldwide and has also been seen at Ronnie Scotts & Dover Street Wine Bar in London. Rietta has appeared on the same bill as Bryan Adams at a corporate concert in England, and recorded backing vocals on a Top Ten hit for Dame Shirley Bassey, and also performing live with her at Glastonbury Festival. Rietta opened the O2 Arena by headlining their Community Event on June 20th 2007. She also opened in Russia for Johnny Gill and was support act for Joe Cocker in July in Moscow. The voice of numerous Australasian television and radio commercials, and the new voice of Virgin Soft Radio and The Travel Channel UKNZ, Rietta has recorded with some of the industry's top names.
Rarely is an artist talented in so many of the art forms with these talents being utilized to their full capacity in TV series as dancer, choreographer, vocalist and actor, all of which helped budding performers develop their art form. As a dancer Rietta is a registered teacher for the Los Angeles Dance Academy and received the highest mark in New Zealand for the year she sat her Advanced Diploma. She has been the director and teacher for her own schools in Australasia and a guest teacher for the Auckland Performing Arts School and Black Grace Dance Company. Rietta has taught American Jazz worldwide and Open Jazz for the British Ballet Organisation BBO. A talented actor in her own right, television credits include “Xena”... Respect!