Peyroux, whose voice has drawn comparisons to Billie Holiday's, is famously elusive. She was reportedly overwhelmed by the success of her first album, 1996's Dreamland, and eventually returned to performing on the streets of Paris. She didn't record a follow-up until last year, when Rounder Records, which has a licensing deal with Universal, released Careless Love.

The album peaked at number two on the Billboard jazz chart, and is currently at number four.

A spokeswoman for Universal told the BBC that Peyroux was somewhere in the United States. "Anxious record company bosses and her management company have been trying to contact her for nearly a week to no avail. She has simply disappeared," the spokeswoman said.

Universal has gone to "great lengths to protect Madeleine from burn-out through too much promotional work," she added. "But it would seem that despite these efforts Ms. Peyroux has had enough."