Vahn Black is a Detroit-born vocalist, songwriter, producer, and memory worker. She has crafted a sound-world of her own that embodies her love for Black American music traditions.

Black’s formal music training began at the Detroit School of Arts High School where she studied jazz and classical music as a Vocal major. In 2014, she placed runner-up in the Detroit Jazz Festival’s Youth Vocal competition. Black continued her music education at Spelman College. In 2023 Black was selected to perform at NPR's Tiny Desk on the Road Tour stop in Atlanta and was featured on NPR’s 2025 Top Shelf series. She has also performed as an opening act for MAJOR., Anthony Hamilton, Chrisette Michele, Elle Varner, and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. 

Black has composed music for award-winning short films and performance art like Finding Jamia’s Spirit (Candace Patrick, 2024), A Differently Curated World (Kiersten White, 2022), The Shadows Whisper Secrets (Kerri Garrett in residence at the Atlanta Contemporary, 2020), and Only (Camille Thomas, 2020).

Black’s latest work, I Am A Woman Again, is the final part of a trilogy that centers the story of Blues singer Gladys Bentley as told in the 1952 article of the same name. The project explores Bentley's life-long desire to belong and be loved, the elements of life that brought her joy and the fluidity of her gender expression and sexuality.