Sivaan Saacks is a Bard College student aiming to double major in Jazz Music and Biology. Growing up in New Orleans, Sivaan was first introduced to jazz in a high school big band, where she became the first solo vocalist in a fully instrumental band. Her early influences include jazz icons like Billie Holiday, Norah Jones, Nina Simone, and Sarah Vaughan. Over the years, she’s formed multiple bands, including Talkin' Back and No Sunk Cost, and currently leads Syndicate, where she co-writes and composes originals.  Looking ahead, she hopes to release an album of standards and compose original works in the spirit of Carla Bley.