One of the great joys of covering Berkshire County’ s vibrant live music scene is experiencing those rare, unforgettable performances where everything aligns— the setting, the sound, the soul of the artist. My wife, Melissa, and I had several such nights watching Chantell, a powerhouse vocalist whose blend of emotional intensity and technical brilliance leaves audiences stunned. Whether she’ s sitting in at jazz night with Andy Wrba and friends, performing with the genre-blending Diego Mongue Band, or holding a room captive during a solo set, Chantell— whose full name is Chantell McCulloch— delivers musical moments that feel transcendent.
music
Finding Her Voice, Sharing Her Power
CHANTELL PREPARES FOR A BREAKTHROUGH WITH HER DEBUT ALBUM
One of the great joys of covering Berkshire County’ s vibrant live music scene is experiencing those rare, unforgettable performances where everything aligns— the setting, the sound, the soul of the artist. My wife, Melissa, and I had several such nights watching Chantell, a powerhouse vocalist whose blend of emotional intensity and technical brilliance leaves audiences stunned. Whether she’ s sitting in at jazz night with Andy Wrba and friends, performing with the genre-blending Diego Mongue Band, or holding a room captive during a solo set, Chantell— whose full name is Chantell McCulloch— delivers musical moments that feel transcendent.
B y M a r k G r e e n l a w
And yet, just a few years ago, she wasn’ t performing at all. Raised in a deeply musical family in Chicago— her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all sang or played instruments— Chantell moved to Pittsfield at age 12. She studied music at UMass Boston and Westfield State University and spent many weekends at the Berklee College of Music, where she was encouraged by musicians like Matt Cusson( who toured with Christina Aguilera) and Jeff Gitelman( who went on to work with artists such as H. E. R. and Mac Miller). During her final year of college, her life was upended by an assault that caused her to step away from music entirely. She left school and moved away from the Berkshires, living in eight different states, singing only at karaoke or open mics— never seeing herself as a musician again. That changed in 2017, when she returned to Pittsfield and saw that Wrba, her old friend, was hosting Monday Night Jazz at the former Mission restaurant in Pittsfield. She stopped by and found the room filled with familiar faces from high school.“ It was such a warm experience,” she recalls. Wrba invited her to join him— and wouldn’ t let up until she finally agreed. She sang a moving rendition of“ O Holy Night” during a 2019 holiday show at Mission. It marked the beginning of her return. She started singing jazz standards with local artist Marisa Massery, fronting blues sets with Misty Blues, and sitting in with Wrba, Wanda Houston, Ed Moran, and many other regional musicians. A pivotal connection came when she joined the Diego Mongue Band— a group of young, gifted musicians with deep blues roots. Chantell calls herself“ the band mom,” but performing with the group keeps her energized and challenged.“ They’ re open to anything,” she says.“ They give me space to explore.”
That freedom sparked new creativity. Chantell contributed original songs to the band’ s performances at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2024 and 2025, where her voice caught the attention of Dixiefrog Records, a respected blues label based in Paris. After reconnecting at the 2025 event, they began discussing a recording contract— and her debut album was soon underway, and its release is expected to be this fall. The forthcoming album of original music is a deeply personal mix of styles— what she calls
56 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Fall 2025