Profile: Nicole Henry - Orange Bowl Jazz Singer

On January 5, many people were introduced to the powerful vocals of Nicole Henry when she performed the National Anthem at the Orange Bowl. While this University of Miami graduate has sung "The Star-Spangled Banner" at previous sporting events including Miami Heat games, tonight's Orange Bowl game introduced Nicole to 75,000 college football fans and viewers at Land Shark Stadium. "It's like my national live debut," she commented to the SunSentinel, stating that she enjoys singing the Star Spangled Banner even though it is not her normal jazz fare. "I think the song does have intimacy to it."

Just who is Nicole Henry? Nicole grew up in the arts haven of Bucks County, Philadelphia, singing in church and school choirs, and she studied cello for six years. After college, she worked in Miami singing pop, soul and her own original music, winning local awards and performing on other people's recordings. She has worked as an actress, a spokesperson, an R&B singer, a background singer, and then a jazz singer. In her bio, Nicole states, "I knew I wanted to use art to affect people's lives. And that's what I can accomplish through my singing... - help people relate to their feelings, and then celebrate that feeling."

Nicole released her debut jazz CD The Nearness of You in 2004. The Nearness of You was featured on Delta Airlines alongside other jazz greats like Miles Davis and Cassandra Wilson on their in-flight entertainment programming on all international and U.S. transcontinental flights. Since then Nicole has released three best-selling jazz CDs and has performed her music in over ten countries including Korea, Japan, Mexico, England, and the U.S.

She has also appeared on numerous television commercials including ads for Verizon Wireless, Amtrak, McDonald's (with Venus and Serena Williams), Air Jamaica, Rite Aid Pharmacies, Hershey's Swoops, Sears Optical and others. Nicole also had the starring role in the independent films, In Plain Sight, Chapter and Verse, and Miami Chronicles. All three films featured original songs by Nicole.

Her latest CD, The Very Thought of You was released on Banister Records in 2008 and reached #7 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz Chart. The Very Thought of You is a romantic album full of evocative love songs - some original and some classics, all enhanced by Nicole's jazz, pop and soulful nuances. Now that the world has met Nicole Henry, it will be interesting to see where her versatile career takes her next.

Sources:

www.NicoleHenry.com
http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Henry/e/B001LHGDBQ/ref=s9_dpt_sa_bio
http://www.sun-sentinel