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Adorable Nikki Yanofsky, who is just 16, knocked the world off its feet last February when she performed a stirring rendition of “O Canada,” the Canadian national anthem, at the Vancouver Olympics.
But the Montreal-born chanteuse, who believe it or not is a veteran jazz singer, is still a largely unknown commodity around the planet. Promoting her new self-titled debut album, Nikki shared a few things about herself with People magazine that might surprise folks about someone who has collaborated with Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean and will.i.am, as well as appeared on the “High School Musical 2” soundtrack.
For one thing, even though she performs around the globe, Ms. Yanofsky attends a small Montreal high school. “They give me the work before I leave, and then I go on the road with it,” she said. “I actually get my best work done on the plane.”
She also loves country and rap music, despite her preference for all things Ella and Coltrane. “It’s kind of like comfort [music] for me because I grew up on the Eagles,” Nikki said of country, noting that she counts Rascal Flatts among her faves.
Nikki also has less than modest aspirations for future singing partners. “I always say dream big, but I have a bunch of people [in mind] and they’re icons like Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder or Paul Simon,” she said.
One more thing – Nikki was nervous singing at the Vancouver Olympics. “I was really proud to be up there,” she recalls. “The second before I went on stage, I turned to the guy working back there and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, in five seconds 3.2 billion people will have me on their TV screens. That’s crazy.’ All I was thinking about was, `Please don’t fall.’”