Nicole “Nikki” 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, culminating in 2009 with a very special outdoor performance for the festival’s 30th Anniversary.
Yanofsky 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.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’s smash hit High School Musical 2. The track was included as bonus material on the worldwide release of the Blu-ray, DVD and Soundtrack CD.
Following that, she collaborated with Grammy Award-winning musicians Herbie Hancock 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. 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.
She was chosen to sing CTV’s broadcast theme for the 2010 Winter Olympics, “I Believe”, which hit the airwaves in late January 2010 and was played throughout the Olympics on all of CTV’s media partners.
Yanofsky recorded her first studio album 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. It was released in April 2010 and supported by an international tour.
“The Norahs, Dianas and Madeleines of the current jazz-diva business might well extend a warm welcome to the 16-year-old Canadian vocal phenomenon Nikki Yanofsky — but they could be forgiven for sticking pins in her effigy.” John Fordham – guardian.co.uk
Nikki Yanofsky The 16-year-old Canadian singer might be the next Ella Fitzgerald. Abc news – http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/teenage-scatting-nikki-yanofsky-11650397
