Sadeke Brooks, Gleaner Writer

Nikki Yanofsky

Fourteen-year-old Canadian jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky will once again thrill Jamaicans with her powerful voice at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which runs from January 22 to 24.

The teen, who performed at the show in January this year, said she is eagerly awaiting another opportunity to work the stage at the festival, which she thoroughly enjoyed the first time around.

"It was so much fun. First off all, I love Jamaica. It's a beautiful place. It's so much fun and relaxing. The crowd really enjoyed it, the whole energy was great," said Yanofsky, who got her big break in music at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2006.

She said her second performance at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival next January will be similar to her first. However, there will be noticeable improvements.

"It's very similar in genre. There is lots of variety, there is some jazz, R&B and some original songs that I will be doing for the first time in Jamaica. So it will be great," Yanofsky told The Sunday Gleaner.

"Also, my voice has changed a lot because I have been practising and, hopefully, improving over the year. I definitely sound more mature in my voice. I want the people to come to the show, 'cause it will be absolutely wonderful. It will even be better than last time. And, I will be singing a Bob Marley tune."

Not wanting to spoil the surprises she has planned for her audience, Yanofsky was reluctant to name some of the original songs she will perform at the show. However, she promised to thrill the audience with hits from some of her favourite artistes, like Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin.

short career

At only 14 years old, Yanofsky has accomplished much in her short career. On a tribute album to Ella Fitzgerald, We All Love Ella: Celebrating The First Lady of Song, she recorded Airmail Special alongside artistes like Natalie Cole, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt and Diana Krall. She also did Gotta Go My Own Way for Disney's High School Musical 2. In addition, she has collaborated with Wyclef Jean.

Yanofsky has also recorded the swing-era classic Stompin' At The Savoy with Grammy Award-winning artistes Herbie Hancock and Will.i.am for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's audio book, On the Shoulders of Giants.

But Yanofsky is not fazed by her popularity at such a young age.

not in it for popularity

"I love it, but I am not in it for the popularity. I am in it because I love to sing," said the teen, who said she also enjoys R&B, pop, blues and reggae.

"It's great, but at the same time there is a reason why they (famous artistes and producers) want to work with me. I don't get nervous from it, 'cause they want to work with me in the first place. It's great to work with so many big producers and artistes, because they are people that I look up and want to learn from," she said.

Capitalising on her popularity, Yanofsky is making a positive mark through the Nikki Yanofsky Foundation at the Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada. She is also the spokesperson for oneXone, a non-profit organisation committed to supporting, preserving and improving the lives of children in Canada and around the world. To date, Yanofsky has been involved in events that have raised over US$6 million for local, national and international charities.

"It's great to be part of something that I really believe in and it's great to help out," she told The Sunday Gleaner. "Because I am a singer I have a voice that people can listen to. And, some people wanna speak out but they don't have any way of speaking out, so I guess it's my way of giving those people that can't really talk for themselves a sort of voice for the causes that they believe in."

Yanofsky already has the Canada-produced album Ella ... Of Thee I Swing, which is a live CD and DVD, under her belt. It was a tribute album to one of her favourite singers, Ella Fitzgerald.

first album

However, she is working on her first full album, which is being produced by 14-time Grammy-award winning producer, Phil Ramone, who has worked with top international artistes like Luciano Pavarotti, Natalie Cole, Madonna, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Elton John and Frank Sinatra. Famous hip-hop artiste Wyclef Jean will also do some work on the album.

The teen star promises an exciting album filled with original songs that she has co-written, as well as a few covers.

In addition to going to school, Yanofsky has several gigs scheduled for the United States and Canada.