Hi! I’m Katja Maria Slotte.

I’m a popular music voice specialist, creativity coach, vocal improviser, singer and multi-instrumentalist.

Singing lessons, creativity coaching and artist coaching in Helsinki and Online

Over the past 25 years, I have worked internationally, coaching singers and creative professionals at all stages of their careers, while also pursuing my own artistic work.

After 21 years of living and working abroad, I returned to my roots in Finland in 2023. From my current home base in Helsinki, I now continue my international work through Creative Voice, which combines my passion for nurturing creativity and a holistic approach to singing. I offer creativity coaching, voice lessons, vocal coaching, music interpretation and performance coaching, artist mentoring, as well as collective vocal improvisation and choir coaching—both in Finland and internationally.

Lessons and coaching Online take place Monday – Friday. In addition to individual lessons and group classes, self-paced online courses and asynchronous coaching via video/audio/email is also available.

In-person singing lessons and coaching sessions in Helsinki take place at my studio in Lapinlahti on Mondays (10am – 3pm), Tuesdays (3pm to 9pm) and about once a month on a Saturday or Sunday. Creativity coaching and artist mentoring sessions are also sometimes held while walking or sitting in Lapinlahti Park or on the cliffs by the sea.

Book a free Discovery Call here

Get to know me

A holistic approach to singing

I teach vocal technique and help singers discover their unique sound and artistic identity. My teaching and coaching experience spans a wide range—from hobbyists to professionals. I have led courses and training sessions for singers, actors, dancers, voice teachers, music teachers, and choir conductors. This has honed my ability to explain and teach vocal technique in a versatile and comprehensive way

I graduated MMus from the Music Education Department of the Sibelius Academy and then went to the Netherlands to study jazz, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban singing at Codarts University of the Arts. My interest in diverse musical and vocal styles led me to in-depth studies of vocal techniques and voice use. In 2011, I completed the 3-year Complete Vocal Technique teacher training at Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen, and over the following decade I further deepened my expertise in vocal techniques and pedagogy under the guidance of internationally renowned teachers such as Tom Burke and Gillyanne Kayes.

I have seen how many talented singers get stuck in their own limiting beliefs and lose connection with their creativity and their voice. Many approach singing too intellectually, and don’t truly know how they want to sound—even if they have mastered many techniques.

Years of work as an artist, voice teacher, and vocal coach have taught me that true freedom comes from integrating technical skill with body, mind, and creativity. That’s why I have developed a holistic approach that combines in-depth vocal technique, embodiment, musical expression, creativity coaching, and mindset work to release mental blocks.

Vocal Coach

My vocal coaching is aimed at performing singers and those who want to perform on stage or release their own music.

I lived in the Netherlands for 21 years, during which I worked, among other roles, as a teacher in the Bachelor’s program for Music Theatre at Codarts University of the Arts, where my teaching focused on vocal technique and music interpretation. I also developed a vocal coaching program for Buitenkunst’s Theatertalentlab and directed several productions produced by Buitenkunst. As a vocal coach, I have worked with actors, singers, and dancers on numerous productions in professional theatres and theatre schools in the Netherlands and Belgium, including KVS (Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg / Royal Flemish Theatre) in Brussels, Jeugdtheater Hofplein, and MBO Theaterschool Rotterdam. In addition, I have coached singer-songwriters and artists releasing their own music.

My international work led me early on to the online space. Since 2014, I have been coaching singers and creative professionals remotely around the world, building online learning environments, and creating courses where technique and creativity go hand in hand. For me, online teaching is like an open stage—a place where we can meet regardless of time and place and explore the world of voice and expression together.

Explore my online lessons and programs

Creativity Coaching and Artist Mentoring

Since 2020, I have worked as a creativity coach and artist mentor. I participated in an ArtistsU Working Group for Artist Working Group hosts and facilitators with Andrew Simonet, author of Making Your Life As An Artist, and have further developed my coaching skills by completing the Introduction to Creativity Coaching and Advanced Creativity Coaching courses with Eric Maisel.

As a creativity coach and artist mentor, I help multi-passionate artists—singers, musicians, composers, actors, writers, poets, visual artists, photographers, dancers, and theatre makers—bring their projects to life. This includes guiding them through writing and releasing original music, preparing for important performances, and managing multiple creative projects at once. Together, we navigate the phases of the creative process, overcome obstacles, and address the realities of the marketplace.

Many of my clients are singing teachers and performing arts educators, and I support them in finding a healthier work–life balance and carving out more time for their own artistry despite demanding teaching schedules. With others, the focus is on building a clear game plan for their creative careers or developing their entrepreneurship skills, so they can connect with the right audiences and students. The combination of mindset shifts and aligned, strategic action consistently leads to meaningful artistic growth and sustainable success.

Singer and Musician

Studies in vocal technique and pedagogy have gone hand in hand with my own musical education and artistic work.

I’m a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocal improviser with an eclectic career shaped by long-term studies in Brazilian music, improvisation. I play piano, flute, and Brazilian percussion, and have trained extensively in Brazilian styles through study trips and workshops. Since 2018, I have immersed myself in vocal improvisation in the traditions of Bobby McFerrin and Rhiannon, performing with Rotterdam ImproVoices and studying with masters including Sofia Ribeiro and Joey Blake. My work also draws on Musical Fluency by Roger Treece, Orff Schulwerk for jazz and multicultural music education, learned from Doug Goodkin, and the PATEMPA method developed by Bart Fermie.

As a performer, I’ve sung Brazilian samba, choro, forró, bossa nova, MPB, Jazz, Latin-influenced pop, Finnish and Argentine tango, Cuban boleros, Nordic jazz-infused folk, and acoustic chamber pop—on stages from music venues and festivals to theatres, private and corporate events. Highlights include fully improvised concerts with Rotterdam ImproVoices, performances with contemporary dance productions, and a Dutch theatre tour with my award-winning band The More The Mary in Tom Waits in a New Coat of Paint (2015–2017).

Get to know my artistic work

Choir Coach & Choir Leader

Singing together with others is one of the most beautiful things I know. I have sung in many different ensembles – choirs, vocal groups, and as a backing vocalist – and I know what it takes for a group to achieve a unified sound and a musical end product.

As a coach, I work with vocal ensembles, choirs, and bands with multiple singers. My areas of expertise include vocal technique and sound, rhythm, collective vocal improvisation, and pop, jazz, and world music—especially Brazilian and Afro-Cuban styles. I also have a special skill in guiding singers from diverse backgrounds, with little or no prior ensemble experience, to create an impressive musical result in a short time—sometimes even in a single day.

As a choir coach, I have worked internationally with ensembles such as São Vicente A Cappella (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Spectra (Indianapolis, USA), and with many Dutch choirs. In The Netherlands, I taught choral singing at the Dutch Academy of Performing Arts, and since 2008 I have led choir projects at Buitenkunst arts camps, working with singers aged 16 to 80+ in programs ranging from day choirs to week-long workshops focused on specific repertoire. I also served as the artistic director of the TAIKA Choir (2020–2022) and the Singalicious Choir (2018–2021), and in Finland, I am currently serving as the interim artistic director of the vocal ensemble Escappella (fall 2025).

A passionate learner, I’m currently pursuing Global Choir Leadership studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, where I’m honing my leadership skills and developing new approaches to working with the voice within an intercultural rhythmic choir setting.

Enquire about choir coaching

See you in Creative Voice Studio!

In the Creative Voice Studio, you’ll learn to sing across different styles, find your signature sound and elevate your artistry, while connecting with an international community of singers that inspire and motivate each other.