Ilona Knopfler

Born in France and raised in a musical family (singer mother, pianist father), Ilona had traveled the world by the time she was in pre-school. That early exposure to the world’s cultures finds its expression on her 2005 recording for Mack Avenue, “Live the Life,” on which Ilona sings in both English and French and which was recorded in both Paris and New York. Although she was born in Paris, Ilona’s parents’ gigs took them and their young daughter all over the world, eventually bringing them to Hong Kong, where a six-year-old Ilona took the stage for the first time. By the time she was 15, she was singing professionally. Her affinity for jazz led her to perform with small groups and big bands at the famous Jazz Club in Hong Kong, quickly becoming a house favorite. When she turned 18, Knopfler set off for New York City, where she lived for five years, studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.

 She signed with Mack Avenue in 2003, releasing her debut, “Some Kind of Wonderful” that same year. The CD, on which Ilona interpreted pop tunes of the 60’s and 70’s with a jazz flavor, was lauded as “a courageous journey through the heart of pop music,” and “a promising debut,” and critics noted that Ilona had “the instincts of a fine jazz vocalist” and was “someone to watch in the years to come.” 2005’s Live the Life has her joined by an all-star jazz group performing jazz standards. Adding to the CD’s global spirit is the cast of international musicians. Among the more than 30 musical artists who contributed their talents to “Live the Life” are Alain Mallet on piano, James Genus and Rufus Reed on bass, Marty Ashby on guitar, Paquito D’Rivera on clarinet, Antonio Hart on saxophone, Sean Jones on trumpet and the New York Voices.

 With over thirty years of experience, Ilona began working in the hospitality industry in 1989 in Hong Kong before moving to New York, then Atlanta, working her way up through almost every role within a restaurant. Most recently, Ilona was the managing partner of Le Bilboquet Atlanta and Denver before founding IAM Hospitality Group in 2021.