Muse

Belle Cat Jazz is the musical home I never expected to find. I lived alone, brushing off suggestions from family that I needed “something” in my life—maybe a cat, maybe a dog. I steadfastly refused as I worked full time and It didn’t feel fair to the animal, but in reality I was afraid to let something into my heart.

One day, a friend asked me to come along as she picked up her adopted kitten. When we arrived, two tiny tabby kittens waddled out to greet us. A boy and a girl, identical twins. I fell in love instantly losing all sense of control, and adopted them both.

They were rambunctious and full of energy, and It soon became clear the girl had chosen me. She was fiercely possessive whenever her brother came near, as if she had already decided I was hers. Eventually the boy was re-homed and I kept the girl. I stared in her eyes and knew her name was Belle. Her personality was extraordinary, unlike any cat I had known - fearless, playful, tender, and astonishingly brave. Nothing scared her; She was my shadow coming on car trips, camping adventures, and even trips to the cafe.

Every morning I sang to her and she listened with devotion. When I stopped, she meowed as if urging me on. In those moments, I realised she was inspiring me to return to music, to rediscover the joy that was lost through life experience. I had performed under Taliesha Harris Music before, but the artistic identity was never right. Belle changed that. The joy she brought reminded me of the freedom I feel when singing Jazz.

That’s when Belle Cat Jazz was born.

My music has been shaped by a long journey through a troubled industry. I have curated a sound that evokes quiet joy and gentle healing, and Belle’s spirit infuses my creations: curiosity, gentleness, authenticity, and a touch of whimsy.

We are a partnership. She is my muse, my best friend, and the heartbeat of my artistic identity. I sing because she taught me to love again.

Through Belle Cat Jazz, I hope to offer listeners the same peaceful, grounding, quietly transformative energy she gives me every day.