Diana Krall

Early life and musical beginnings

Diana Krall was born on November 16, 1964, in Nanaimo, British Columbia, to parents Adella, an elementary school teacher, and Stephen James Krall, an accountant. Her father played piano at home and her mother sang in a community choir, providing an early musical environment. Krall began formal piano studies at age four, progressing through examinations administered by The Royal Conservatory of Music. While in high school, she played in a student jazz group and started performing professionally in local restaurants by the age of 15. Her talent earned her a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied from 1981 to 1983 before moving to Los Angeles to further immerse herself in the jazz scene. An important early mentorship came from veteran bassist Ray Brown in the early 1980s, who was impressed by her playing and helped connect her with other established musicians. Krall's only sibling, Michelle, is a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. After her time in Los Angeles, Krall returned to Canada to record her first album in 1992, setting the stage for her professional career.

Recording career and breakthrough

Diana Krall's recording career began with her debut album, Stepping Out, recorded in 1992 and released the following year on Justin Time Records with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The album caught the attention of producer Tommy LiPuma, who produced her second album, Only Trust Your Heart, in 1995. Her commercial and critical breakthrough arrived with 1996's All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio, which earned a Grammy nomination and spent 70 weeks on the Billboard jazz charts. The 1997 trio album Love Scenes, featuring guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Christian McBride, quickly became a hit. Her move to Verve Records marked a significant expansion of her sound, beginning with 1999's When I Look in Your Eyes, which featured orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel and was her first album released through the label. This was followed by 2001's The Look of Love, arranged by Claus Ogerman, which achieved platinum status and reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart. The title track from that album, a cover of the standard popularized by Dusty Springfield and Sérgio Mendes, reached number 22 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

Her career includes several notable live recordings and collaborative projects. Her first live album, Live in Paris (also titled A Night In Paris), was released in 2002 following a world tour that began in September 2001 and included a recorded performance at the Paris Olympia. That album featured covers of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" and Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" and was also released as a video album. In 2004, she released The Girl in the Other Room, her first album to feature original songwriting, developed in collaboration with her husband Elvis Costello whom she married in 2003. This album rose to the top five in the United Kingdom and reached number 21 on Australia's albums chart. She has contributed to film soundtracks, such as providing the song "I'll Make It Up As I Go" for the 2001 film The Score starring Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando, a song composed by fellow Canadian David Foster. Key collaborations include performing "You Don't Know Me" with Ray Charles on his 2004 album Genius Loves Company, producing Barbra Streisand's 2009 album Love Is the Answer, and accompanying Paul McCartney at Capitol Studios in 2012 for a live performance related to his album Kisses on the Bottom.

Later albums and artistic evolution

Her 2009 album Quiet Nights, produced with Tommy LiPuma, focused on bossa nova standards. She ventured into early jazz and vaudeville tunes from the 1920s and 1930s on 2012's Glad Rag Doll, produced by T Bone Burnett. A significant shift came with 2015's Wallflower, produced by David Foster, which featured her interpretations of pop and rock songs from the 1960s to the 1980s by artists like the Eagles, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, 10cc, Neil Finn, and Gilbert O'Sullivan. The album's title track is a Bob Dylan song, and it includes a previously unreleased Paul McCartney composition, "I'll Take You Home Tonight", which he gave her permission to use. She returned to a more traditional jazz setting with 2017's Turn Up the Quiet, produced again with Tommy LiPuma, which won the Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2018. That same year, she released the collaborative album Love Is Here to Stay with Tony Bennett, which featured the song "Fascinating Rhythm" and earned Bennett a Guinness World Record for the longest time between an original recording and a re recording by the same artist at 68 years and 342 days.

In September 2020, she released This Dream of You, an album completed from over 30 unused recordings from sessions with her longtime producer Tommy LiPuma before his death in 2017. Krall finished production herself in May 2020, selecting a dozen tracks for the final release, which included the jazz standard "Autumn in New York". A video for that song was created to raise awareness for New York Cares, the city's largest volunteer organization. Krall has announced new collaborative projects, including a musical film with legendary bassist Ron Carter filmed over three days in March 2026, with a special online performance scheduled for May 4, 2026. Billboard magazine named Krall the second greatest jazz artist of the decade 2000 2009 in December 2009, a recognition of her sustained impact during that period.

Tours and live performances

Diana Krall is renowned as a compelling live performer who tours extensively around the globe to sold out audiences at premiere jazz festivals and concert halls throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Her major tours have included a 20 city tour with Tony Bennett in 2000 and the worldwide Wallflower World Tour in 2016. She is a frequent performer at premier international jazz festivals, including multiple appearances at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, where she recorded her 2004 live album Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival at the Bell Centre on June 29 of that year. Krall has also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival on several occasions since her debut there in 1997, returning for the first time in ten years for a 2024 performance on the Lake Stage with Jamie Cullum. Her touring companions have varied over the years, with her 2024 tour featuring musicians Sebastian Steinberg and Matt Chamberlain. She maintains a rigorous international schedule, with confirmed performances in 2026 at venues including the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Southam Hall in Ottawa, and concerts at the Xiqu Centre and Xinghai Concert Hall in Hong Kong and China, commencing a Canadian tour on April 8, 2026, at the FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton.

Notable live performances and tributes include a 20 city tour with Tony Bennett in August 2000 and a subsequent collaboration with him for a song on the television series Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... in 2008 09. She performed "Fly Me to the Moon" at astronaut Neil Armstrong's memorial service in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 2012. In 2007, she was featured in a Lexus advertisement campaign and also sang "Dream a Little Dream of Me" with pianist Hank Jones for the Ella Fitzgerald tribute album We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song. An upcoming collaborative online performance with Ron Carter is announced for May 4, 2026, to be streamed on RonCarterJazz.com. Her 2026 schedule also includes opening the WestK Jazz Fest in Hong Kong on November 13, 2026, and performances at Salle Wilfrid Pelletier in Montreal as part of her tour.

Diana Krall's career is marked by several high profile live events and festival appearances. In August 2000, she partnered with Tony Bennett for a 20-city tour. In September 2001, she began a world tour, and her concert at the Paris Olympia was released as her first live record, Live in Paris, in 2002. She has performed at premiere jazz festivals and concert halls globally, including a 2004 performance at the Bell Centre in Montreal released as Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival. She is scheduled to perform at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in the summer of 2026. She has also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival multiple times, first appearing there in 1997.

• Performance at the Paris Olympia in 2001, released as the live album Live in Paris in 2002.
• Recording of Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival at the Bell Centre on June 29, 2004.
• Memorial performance of "Fly Me to the Moon" for astronaut Neil Armstrong in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 2012.
• Return to the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2024 for a performance on the Lake Stage with Jamie Cullum.
• Scheduled 2026 performances at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and Southam Hall in Ottawa on April 10 and 11, 2026.
• Opening performance for the WestK Jazz Fest in Hong Kong on November 13, 2026.

Honours and recognition

Diana Krall's contributions to music have been recognized with numerous national, provincial, and industry awards. In 2005, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honours. The Province of British Columbia named her a Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2000. She was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004, and her hometown of Nanaimo renamed its Harbourfront Plaza in her honour as Diana Krall Plaza in 2008. The University of Victoria awarded her an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. Within the music industry, she has won two Grammy Awards and ten Juno Awards. Her commercial success is marked by nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi platinum album certifications in Canada. She is also a Steinway & Sons Artist, performing exclusively on their pianos in all recording sessions, concerts, and public appearances, and serves as an Honorary Board Member for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Krall's unique artistry and recognizability were further cemented when Billboard magazine named her the second greatest jazz artist of the 2000 2009 decade.

Her honours span civic, academic, and professional spheres. In 2005, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. She was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004 and became a Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2000. Academically, she received an honorary Ph.D. in Fine Arts from the University of Victoria. Professionally, she has won two Grammy Awards and eight Juno Awards, and her albums have earned nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum certifications.

• Officer of the Order of Canada (2005).
• Member of the Order of British Columbia (2000).
• Induction into Canada's Walk of Fame (2004).
• Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria.
• Renaming of Nanaimo Harbourfront Plaza to Diana Krall Plaza (2008).
• Two Grammy Awards and ten Juno Awards.
• Steinway & Sons Artist designation.
• Honorary Board Member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Discography and chart achievements

Diana Krall has released a steady stream of studio and live albums since her 1993 debut, demonstrating both consistency and artistic growth. Her early work established her mastery of the jazz trio format and dedication to the Great American Songbook. The mid 2000s saw her expand into songwriting, while later albums have explored bossa nova, early jazz, and contemporary pop material. The following table lists her major album releases, highlighting her prolific output and the evolution of her collaborative partnerships. Krall's chart success is distinctive among jazz vocalists, as she is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. This commercial consistency across multiple decades highlights the broad audience for her work.

Personal life and family

Diana Krall married British musician and songwriter Elvis Costello on December 6, 2003, at Elton John's estate outside London. The couple are parents to twin sons, Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James, who were born on December 6, 2006, in New York City. Krall's father in law was singer Ross MacManus. She experienced significant personal loss in 2002 when her mother, Adella, died of multiple myeloma. That same year, she also lost two important mentors, bassist Ray Brown and singer Rosemary Clooney. Krall has since become an honorary board member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, supporting research into the disease that affected her mother. Her family background includes her father Stephen James Krall, who was an accountant but also played piano at home, fostering her early love for music.

Questions about Diana Krall

How many albums has Diana Krall sold?

Diana Krall has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. In the United States alone, her sales exceed six million units. Her commercial success is further evidenced by numerous certifications in Canada, where she has earned nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi platinum albums. This sales figure establishes her as one of the best selling artists of her time within the jazz genre.

What awards has Diana Krall won?

Diana Krall has won two Grammy Awards and ten Juno Awards. Her national honours include being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and a Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2000. She was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004, and her album Turn Up the Quiet won the Juno for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2018. Additional recognition includes an honorary doctorate from the University of Victoria and her status as a Steinway & Sons Artist.

Who is Diana Krall married to?

Diana Krall is married to English singer songwriter Elvis Costello. They were wed on December 6, 2003, and have twin sons named Dexter and Frank, born on December 6, 2006. Costello has also collaborated with Krall as a lyricist on her original songs, most notably on her 2004 album The Girl in the Other Room. Her father in law was the singer Ross MacManus.

Where is Diana Krall from in Canada?

Diana Krall was born and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She began playing piano at age four and performed in local restaurants as a teenager before studying at the Berklee College of Music. Her hometown honoured her in 2008 by renaming the Nanaimo Harbourfront Plaza as Diana Krall Plaza. She remains a prominent figure from British Columbia, having been appointed a Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2000.

Is Diana Krall touring in 2026?

Yes, Diana Krall is touring in 2026. She has announced a Canadian tour commencing on April 8, 2026, in Hamilton, Ontario, at the FirstOntario Concert Hall. She is also scheduled to perform at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in the summer of 2026. Additional 2026 performances include dates at Southam Hall in Ottawa on April 10 and 11, at the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong on November 13, and at the Xinghai Concert Hall in China on November 15. Her 2026 tour companions are Sebastian Steinberg and Matt Chamberlain. This continues her long tradition of extensive global touring to sold out audiences at premier jazz festivals and concert halls.

What is Diana Krall's most popular album?

One of Diana Krall's most popular and commercially successful albums is The Look of Love from 2001. This album achieved platinum status and reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart. Her 1996 album All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio was a critical breakthrough, spending 70 weeks on the Billboard jazz charts and earning a Grammy nomination. The 2002 live album Live in Paris also enjoyed significant success, featuring a smooth jazz radio hit with her cover of Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are. Her album When I Look in Your Eyes from 1999 further established her popularity, being her first release through Verve Records with orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel.

Sources and further reading

• Diana Krall (Wikipedia)
• Diana Krall in Montreal | FIJM 2026 (placedesarts.com)
• Diana Krall (montreuxjazzfestival.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-30.