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Nina Mya

Nina Mya is a Finnish jazz vocalist, composer and vocal teacher.

Her musical studies began when she was 7 with classical piano but as a teenager singing and jazz became her biggest passion. In fall 2008 Nina started her studies at the reputable Sibelius Academy Department of Jazz in Helsinki. She has had the honour of being taught by and also having worked with some of the finest jazz musicians in Finland including Jukkis Uotila, Manuel Dunkel, Jenny Robson and many more.

Throughout the years Nina has participated in several jazz vocal competitions and events bringing her awards; one being mentioned the Soloist Price at the Young Nordic Jazz Comets 2011. In July 2012 Nina was awarded with the title of “Artist Of The Year 2012″ by Pori Jazz Festival. The same year she published her first album “Flying Solo”, which includes mostly Nina's original tunes. Besides her own music Nina has performed soul and R&B which are genres also close to her heart.

In Nina’s compositions you can mostly hear the American jazz tradition from 1950′s and 60′s, mostly modal sound combined with contemporary moods and influences from other musical genres, mostly soul and pop. She has been prescribed as a “bridge-builder” between the traditional and more modern jazz singing. She is a band leader of an amazing trio that consists of some of the most talented young jazz musicians in Finland, Henri Mäntylä, Jori Huhtala and Tuomas Timonen.

For the academic year 2013-2014 Nina has studied jazz at the prestigious Manhattan School Of Music, New York. There she’s been taught by Gretchen Parlato, Theo Bleckmann, Phil Markovitz and Dave Liebmann. Living and learning in the “Big Apple” has also brought a lot of influences to Nina’s singing and composing. Nina recorded her critically acclaimed second album "Our Time" in New York and it was released in September 2014.

Nina’s strengths as a singer is her unique sound and brilliant voice technique. She has a deep, dark and colorful voice, while her phrasing is sure and rhythmically precise. She is an amazing improviser and performer who is able to interpret stories in a way that audience won’t forget. Her biggest idols in music are Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Carmen McRae, Aretha Franklin and Dianne Reeves.

Awards

- National Pop/Jazz Vocal Competition, Jyväskylä, Finland 2007, winner - Nömme Jazz Competition 2008, 3rd prize - Paimio Soi Competition 2008, 3rd prize - Young Nordic Jazz Comets 2011, soloist prize - Pori Jazz Artist Of The Year 2012


Tags

Nina Mya is a highly talented Finnish jazz singer, who already attracted the attention with unusually mature sense of style, sound and natural skills for improvising at the age of 18. Within a few years, she has elevated as a singer and as a performer already fully to an international level”, -Jari Perkiömäki, Saxophonist/Educator

”Nina Mya has grasped an understanding of the expressive tradition of jazz music in a way that one seldom hears in the Nordic countries. Her command of her voice and sonic flexibility is impeccable and she’s easily able to adapt to a multitude of situations and styles. She is also a fine composer and a band leader. Nina is a diligent worker, her energetic output is getting stronger by the day and I think any musical situation can benefit from her presence.” -Jukkis Uotila, Drummer/Pianist/Educator

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Helsinki

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Our Time

Unknown label
2014

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Videos

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