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About
Puerto Rican flutist and vocalist Jailene Michelle​
​Born in the heart of Barrio Obrero, Santurce, Puerto Rico, flutist and vocalist Jailene Michelle weaves together classical elegance and Caribbean soul. Rooted in the rhythms of plena and rumba, and inspired by legends like Dave Valentin and Tito Rodríguez, her music speaks with a voice both intimate and powerful—evoking the emotional depth of Norah Jones and the subtle phrasing of Gretchen Parlato.
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Jailene has shared stages with some of the most iconic voices in Latin and soul music, including the legendary salsa singer Gilberto Santa Rosa and the Grammy-winning soul powerhouse Ledisi, performing together at Boston’s Agganis Arena, where genres and audiences seamlessly meet.
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Her presence is equally powerful in the world’s most revered venues and festivals. At Dizzy’s Club in New York City, she participated in “Salsa Meets Jazz”, the inaugural concert series blending the fire of salsa with the improvisational spirit of jazz, led by master bassist Carlos Henriquez of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She was featured at the Puerto Rico Jazz Fest 2024 alongside members of the seminal group Batacumbele, including Giovanni Hidalgo, Jerry Medina, and Néstor Torres, celebrating the island’s rich jazz heritage. Multiple performances at the Berklee Performance Center saw her collaborating with celebrated Colombian singer-songwriter Andrés Cepeda, Korean pianist and composer Srisley, in other Bostonian venues singing BGV's for Puerto Rican legend singer-songwriter José Nogueras (composer of "Amada Mia" popularized by Cheo Feliciano) while Puerto Rico’s largest venue, the Coliseo José Miguel Agrelot (Choliseo), hosted her alongside urban music icons Yowell & Randy.
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In the classical realm, Jailene has performed with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra in the illustrious Sala Sinfónica Pablo Casals, and graced the stage of the Centro de Bellas Artes with the internationally acclaimed Coro de Niños de San Juan, winners of Italy’s prestigious Zecchino d’Oro award.
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Her reach extends into the homes of many through television, having appeared on Telemundo Puerto Rico’s “El Show del Mediodía” as a backup vocalist for both Gerardo Rivas and Julio César Sanabria. In the studio, she is featured on Sanabria’s album “Cuba y Puerto Rico Son”, alongside legends such as Barbarito Torres (Buena Vista Social Club) and trumpeter Charlie Sepúlveda, bridging musical worlds with grace and authenticity.
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She has been awarded as a Full Tuition student at prestigious Berklee College of Music,
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Currently, Jailene enriches two vibrant ensembles: Orquesta Legado, led by cuatrista Juan Nieves, dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican cultural heritage through music, and El Vapor de Brooklyn, an innovative group led by Víctor Pablo García Gaetán, one of the most vital percussionists of his generation, where tradition meets experimentation in vibrant, living sound.
Jailene Michelle doesn’t just perform, she tells stories through breath and rhythm. Every note she plays, every phrase she sings, is a bridge between tradition and innovation, between the pulse of the street and the hush of a concert hall. Her music is a meeting place, warm, alive, and unmistakably her own her footprints in every scenery she comes up to.