Nikki Yanofsky

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Biography

Nicole "Nikki" Yanofsky (born February 8, 1994) is a Canadian jazz - Pop music|pop singer-songwriter from Montreal|Montreal, Quebec .

She performed O Canada|Canada’s National Anthem at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony|Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver|Vancouver, British Columbia . She also performed as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony|Closing Ceremonies and the 2010 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony|2010 Winter Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony .

Nikki has performed internationally at jazz festivals and major concert venues both solo and alongside such well-known artists as Herbie Hancock , Quincy Jones , Wyclef Jean , Celine Dion , Marvin Hamlisch and The Count Basie Orchestra .

Nikki has had three releases; Ella...Of Thee I Swing (Live DVD/CD - 2008), Nikki (CD - 2010) and Live in Montreal (Live DVD - 2010). Her second studio album, produced by Martin Terefe, is currently in post-production.

Recordings

Nikki recorded the Ella Fitzgerald classic "Airmail Special" for Verve Records and it was released in June 2007 on the album We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song . Produced by Tommy LiPuma , this track made Yanofsky the youngest singer ever to record for Verve. Nikki then recorded " Gotta Go My Own Way " in English and French for Walt Disney Pictures|Walt Disney’s smash hit High School Musical 2 . The track was included as bonus material on the worldwide release of the Blu-ray Disc|Blu-ray , DVD and Soundtrack Compact disc|CD . Following that, she collaborated with Grammy Award -winning musicians Herbie Hancock and Will.i.am (from The Black Eyed Peas ) to record a crossover version of the swing era hit " Stompin' at the Savoy ". It was released on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 's audio book, On the Shoulders of Giants .

In September 2008, Yanofsky released her first full-length album, a live CD/DVD concert package entitled Ella... Of Thee I Swing . Supported by her production company, A440 Entertainment and distributed in Canada and Japan by Universal Music , it garnered critical acclaim and earned her two Juno Award nominations in 2009: 'New Artist of the Year' and 'Vocal Jazz Album of the Year'. She also won 'Favourite Jazz Artist' at the 2009 Canadian Independent Music Awards.

Songwriters Stephan Moccio and Alan Frew chose Yanofsky to sing CTV Television Network|CTV’s broadcast theme for the 2010 Winter Olympics , " I Believe (Nikki Yanofsky song)|I Believe .” Released in January 2010 with an accompanying music video, the song was played throughout the Olympics on all of CTV’s media partners. "I Believe" reached number one on the List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2010 (Canada)|Canadian Hot 100 on the week of February 27, 2010. This made her the first Canadian artist to have a number one song on that chart since " Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne song)|Girlfriend " by Avril Lavigne topped the chart in 2007. The song was certified “Quadruple Platinum” for digital downloads in April 2010.

Yanofsky recorded her first studio album, Nikki , with 14-time Grammy Award-winning producer Phil Ramone . Along with the album-release of "I Believe", it includes some of Yanofsky’s first original works—writing in collaboration with Jesse Harris (of Norah Jones fame) as well as fellow Canadian songwriters Ron Sexsmith and Feist (singer)|Feist . It was released in April 2010 by Decca Records and was supported by an international tour. Nikki earned a Juno nomination for "Vocal Jazz Album of the Year" and won Nikki the WAVE Smooth Jazz Award for "Female Vocalist of the Year."

Nikki's second studio album is currently in production. It is being produced by Martin Terefe and will include more of Nikki's original work and collaborations. The as-of-yet-untitled album will be released sometime in mid 2012.

Nikki has also recorded a song for Webkinz as one of their Pet of the Month videos!

Stage

Yanofsky began her professional singing career by performing at the 2006 Montreal International Jazz Festival . This performance made her the youngest performer ever to headline at this festival. She has returned to this festival each year since, including a special outdoor performance for the festival’s 30th Anniversary in 2009 and a performance with l' Orchestre Métropolitain in 2011. Her other Canadian festival performances include Toronto ( Luminato Festival|Luminato and Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival|Downtown ), Ottawa ( Ottawa International Jazz Festival|Jazz and Ottawa Bluesfest|Blues ), Vancouver International Jazz Festival|Vancouver , Victoria, Quebec City Summer Festival|Quebec , Edmonton, Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Fest|Saskatoon , and Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival|Fredericton . Her international festival appearances include two visits to The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, several European festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival as well as the Ginza International Jazz Festival in Japan where she played to a full house at Tokyo|Tokyo's historic Kabuki-za .

On February 8, 2008 – her fourteenth birthday – Nikki kicked off a multi-city tour with famed composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch at Carnegie Hall . This tour included appearances at other world-class venues such as Avery Fisher Hall , also in New York, as well as John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|The Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. This tour included stops in Seattle, San Diego, Milwaukee and her hometown of Montreal. In November 2008 she made her Canadian orchestral debut with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra , and since then has gone on to sing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra|Vancouver Symphony , the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra|Edmonton Symphony and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra|Calgary Philharmonic . Nikki has also performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra for a tribute to Oscar Peterson as well as the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra – both conducted by Canadian pianist, Senator, and Order of Canada officer Tommy Banks .

Yanofsky has performed the O Canada|Canadian and The Star-Spangled Banner|American National Anthems at several sporting events including Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre , Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center , Florida Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center , a Montreal NASCAR event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve , the 2008 Grey Cup at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium and the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Other interesting venues where Yanofsky has performed are the Bell Centre in Montreal for both an appearance with Wyclef Jean as well as a solo performance at Unicef|UNICEF’s Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS|Unite Against Aids benefit and the Air Canada Centre in Toronto for WE Day . She also performed a private concert for The Globe and Mail in front of the Library of Celsus at the 2000-year-old Ephesus|Ruins of Ephesus in Turkey .

In 2010 and 2011, Nikki toured extensively through Canada the United States and Europe. Her latest tour was a 9-city tour of France which included a performance at Toulouse|Toulouse's Halle aux Grains and culminated with a sold-out show at the legendary Olympia (Paris)|Olympia Theatre in Paris .

Television

Yanofsky has appeared on most major Canadian television stations including CTV Television Network|CTV ( Canada AM , eTalk ), CBC Television|CBC ( The National (CBC)|The National ), Global Television Network|Global ( ET Canada ), MuchMusic ( MuchOnDemand ), Radio-Canada ( Tout le monde en parle (Quebec)|Tout le monde en parle ) Télé-Québec ( Belle et Bum ), and TVA (TV network)|TVA ( On n’a pas toute la soirée ). She has also appeared as a featured artist on YTV (TV channel)|YTV’s The Next Star .

She also can be seen with Wyclef Jean singing and performing the opening sequence to Children's Television Workshop|The Children’s Television Workshop’s revival of their hit show, The Electric Company (2009 TV series)|The Electric Company .

On December 31, 2009, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams interviewed Yanofsky. She has also appeared on the KTLA morning show in Los Angeles as well as being the first crossover artist on PBS|PBS’ youth talent showcase From the Top .

Nikki’s 2010 live DVD Live in Montreal was broadcast on several PBS affiliates throughout the United States as part of their funding drive for 2010. Nikki also recorded a concert in front of a live studio audience for Bravo!|Bravo (Canada) as part of their Live at the Rehearsal Hall series. It was broadcast several times throughout 2011.

Charitable works

In 2008, Yanofsky received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy award from the Quebec Chapter of The Association of Fundraising Professionals. Over her career, she has helped raise over $10 Million for local, national and international charities. She is currently associated with Montreal Children's Hospital|The Montreal Children’s Hospital , Children's Wish Foundation of Canada|The Children’s Wish Foundation and MusiCounts. She has also lent her voice to oneXone, Leave Out Violence Everywhere (L.O.V.E.) and World ORT|ORT .

Nikki sang a solo part on the remake of K'naan's song " Wavin' Flag " performed by Young Artists for Haiti . This song was certified Platinum for digital downloads in April 2010 and all of the proceeds from the single went to charities.

In October 2010, Nikki was awarded the first ever Canada's Walk of Fame#Allan_Slaight_Award|Allan Slaight Award by Canada's Walk of Fame . This award will be presented annually to a young Canadian who is making a positive impact in the fields of music, film, literature, visual or performing arts, sports, innovation or philanthropy.

Personal life

Yanofsky was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. Her career is managed by A440 Entertainment

Credits

Discography

Albums

Year	Album details	Peak							Certifications ( List of best selling music artists
Year	Album details	CAN	CAN Jazz	CAN Pop	US	US Heat	US Jazz	FR	Certifications ( List of best selling music artists
2008	Ella...Of Thee I Swing Released: September 23, 2008 Label: A440 Format: Compact disc\|CD , music download\|digital download	—	8	—	—	—	—	—
2010	Nikki Released: CA: April 20, 2010 US: May 4, 2010 UK: May 8, 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8333421/Nikki-Yanofsky-a-lifetime-of-jazz-to-come.html Label: A440/ Decca Records\|Decca Format: CD, digital download	5		9	105	1	3	49	style="text-align:left;" Canadian Recording Industry Association\|CAN : Gold
2011	TBA Released: TBA Label: A440/Decca Format: CD, digital download	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	style="text-align:left;"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year	Single	Peak				Album
Year	Single	CAN	CAN Jazz	US Jazz	JP	Album
2010	" I Believe (Nikki Yanofsky song)	1	—	—	—	Nikki
	"I Got Rhythm"	—	—		—
	"For Another Day"	—	—	—	13
	"Cool My Heels"	—		—	—
	" Wavin' Flag "	1	—	—	—	Charity single
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Videography

DVDs

\| Year	\| Details	Music recording sales certificationCertifications ( List of best selling music artistssales threshold )
2010	Live in Montreal Released: June 1, 2010 Label: A440/ Decca Records\|Decca Format: DVD	style="text-align:left;" Canadian Recording Industry Association\|CAN : Gold

Awards and nominations

Year !! Presenter !! Award !! Result
2009	Juno Awards of 2009	New Artist of the Year	nom
	Juno Awards of 2009	Vocal Jazz Album of the Year: Ella... of Thee I Swing	nom
	Canadian Independent Music Awards	Favorite Jazz Artist or Group	Won
2010	Félix Award s	English Album of the Year: Nikki	nom
	Félix Award s	Most Famous Quebec Artist Outside Quebec	nom
	Canada's Walk of Fame	Allan Slaight Award	Won
2011	Juno Awards	Vocal Jazz Album of the Year: Nikki	nom
	Canadian Radio Music Awards	Adult Contemporary Song of the Year: "I Believe"	nom
	WAVE Smooth Jazz Awards	Female Vocalist of the Year	Won
		Album of the Year: Nikki	nom
		Song of the Year: "Try, Try, Try"	nom

Copyright Citations

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1. Tom Cochrane 2. Alan Frew 3. Danielle Brisebois

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