Cyrille Aimee brings her otherworldly sounds to Hancher’s Strauss Hall

Traveling from Costa Rica to Los Angeles for the Grammys was a shock to the system for singer-songwriter Cyrille Aimee. It was a very different experience leaving a relaxed jazz workshop for the glitz and glam of the Grammys where Aimee was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

“It was a fun experience, but I have mixed feelings about it,” Aimee said while calling from Los Angeles. “I came from the jungle (in Costa Rica), my community, to Los Angeles. The Grammys had a very different vibe. It is very individual oriented. It was weird. I saw some friends there who were so possessed wanting to win. It was really strange. I felt out of place.”

Aimee’s terrific album, “A Fleur De Peau” didn’t land any hardware. The highlight for Aimee was walking the red carpet. “There are great photos of my belly,” Aimee said.

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Aimee, 40, is five-months pregnant and she couldn’t be more excited about the birth of her son Leo, who is due in June.

“I didn’t think I was going to have children,” Aimee said. “This was a surprise. I’ve had two abortions. But I decided to keep this child. It didn’t make any sense. I just broke up with the father but I’m having the baby. There I am with my big belly at the Grammys carried around my snacks. It’s still so strange being around the pressure of wanting to get a Grammy. It was a relief I didn’t get a Grammy.”

Aimee, who will perform Saturday at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City, will be off the road for a while since she’ll have her baby and spend time between her homes in Costa Rica and New Orleans.

“This will be the last time you can see me for a while,” Aimee said.

Aimee will deliver tracks from ‘A Fleur De Peau,“ which is comprised of breezy, catchy and joyful tunes. The jazz meets electronic amalgam is a winning mix.

“This record is such a milestone for me,” Aimee said. “I wanted to take the old school and combine it with what is new.”

Expect Aimee to draw from her 10 other albums, which are filled with Brazilian bossa novas, gypsy swing and Latin rhythms. Aimee grew up embracing many styles of music thanks to her Dominican mother and French father.

“My mother put on a lot of merengue, salsa and Michael Jackson when I was a child,” Aimee said. “My father liked classical music. That had such an effect on me. And then I met gypsy musicians and because of them I started listening to Django Reinhart. From there I discovered Ella (Fitzgerald). So much of what I listened to has impacted my music.”

Her mother has had a huge effect on Aimee’s live performance. Aimee is a charismatic entertainer, who moves with a graceful, hyperkinetic energy.

“I get that from my mother,” Aimee said. “As a child I remember that my mother was always moving and shaking her body.”

The playful Aimee is looking forward to her maternity hiatus.

“I've been touring since we were allowed to go back to performing after the pandemic changed everything,” Aimee said. “I’ve been out for years now and touring gets very intense. I’ve been getting sick since when you’re on the road, the lifestyle is unhealthy. I was looking for a break and I got a break from the universe. It was like, ‘You want a break? Well, here’s your break!’”

Aimee will relax in New Orleans, care for her son and indulge in comedy during the last half of 2025.

“I love comedians, especially Theo Von and Louis C.K,” Aimee said. “Louis just makes me laugh and laugh and we all need to laugh.”

During an interview with singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, the veteran songsmith noted that the birth of her daughter changed her approach to crafting tunes.

“It'll be interesting if that happens to me,” Aimee said. “My experience as a human is changing. It will no doubt impact my growth as an artist. I’m enjoying the transformation. I’ve learned so much about myself. We’ll see how this changes me as a recording artist. I look forward to seeing what will happen.”