Ilana Charnelle

Music

Inspired by jazz-era chanteuses, Ilana’s original songs are a fiery fusion of crooner classics and finger-pointing confessionals. Following her debut EP Speakeasy in 2012, she has released two full length albums with her musical director Ned Dixon: the first, a live album of her cabaret A Class Act, and her second, a studio recording of her show Play Nice featuring a three-piece band. Ilana’s cabaret ‘Play Nice’ was nominated for a Green Room Award for Musical Direction in 2017, and her most recent cabaret ‘What-If Island’ was the winner of the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Access and Inclusion Award.

Albums

Click on the titles to find out more about each release.

Speakeasy
(2012)
A collection of seven original songs, this EP is the introduction to Ilana Charnelle’s vintage-inspired music.
A Class Act
(2016)
Recorded live at The Butterfly Club in Melbourne, ‘A Class Act’ encapsulates the best of Ilana Charnelle’s original music from the last five years.
Play Nice
(2018)
Backed with a full band for her first studio album, Ilana Charnelle is taking the gloves off to deliver nine new songs that pull no punches.
What-If Island
(2025)
A cabaret about breaking up, breaking down, and feeling less broken. Recorded live at Chapel Off Chapel.

Ilana Charnelle on YouTube

See all of Ilana’s original songs, jazzified covers, and more on her YouTube channel