Birth name Na Yoon-sun (나윤선) Name Na Yoon-sun Labels ACT Music Website www.younsunnah.com Genres Jazz | Years active 1994–present Spouse In Jae-jin (m. 2010) Occupation(s) Singer Role Singer · younsunnah.com | |
Born August 28, 1969 (age 54)
Seoul, South Korea ( 1969-08-28 ) Albums Same Girl, Nah Youn Sun with Refractory, Reflet Similar People Ulf Wakenius, Vincent Peirani, Lars Danielsson, Nguyen Le, Michael Gibbs Profiles | ||
Na Yoon-sun, also Youn Sun Nah (Korean: 나윤선; born August 28, 1969) is a South Korean jazz singer.
Contents
Biography
Na Yoon-sun was born in August 28, 1969, in Seoul. She was born to musical parents: her father, Na Young-soo (나영수), is a conductor in Korea and her mother, Kim Mi-jung (김미정), is a musical actress. She studied French literature at Konkuk University in Korea. While she was working for a fashion company, she was scouted by Kim Min-gi (김민기), who was the president of the Hakchon Theater Company (극단 학전). There, she made her debut in a musical called Subway Line 1 (지하철 1호선).
In 1995, she decided to go to Paris to study Jazz and chanson. There, she went to some of the oldest jazz schools, including CIM Jazz School, National Music Institute of Beauvais, Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory at the same time. After graduating, she taught students at CIM Jazz School from 2000 to 2001. She formed her own quintet, called YSN 5tet, and performed at various jazz clubs, theaters, festivals, and bars in France. Also in 2001 she released her debut album Reflet. But her mostly self-composed 2002 album Light for the people was her introduction to wide distribution. She recorded the follow-up Down by love with guitarist Olivier Ode. With her 2004 release So I am, she gained wide popularity in Europe.
In 2007, she ventured more into pop with Memory Lane. In 2008, she signed a contract with German label ACT, and in 2009, was acknowledged for her musical contributions in France, by receiving Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Her 2010 album Same Girl was considered by many critics to be her best. In 2011, she gave about 180 performances in more than thirteen countries. In 2011, this rose to about 200 performances in more than twenty-five countries in 2012. In 2013 she released Lento. Her albums are currently released in various countries, including France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Swiss, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia, simultaneously.
Influence
Having been exposed to many kinds of music by her parents, Na decided to study and sing jazz after she performed as an actress in the Korean comedy musical Subway Line 1 (지하철 1호선). While she was seeking more ways to express herself musically, one of her musician friends suggested she study jazz.
Vocal style
Unlike other jazz vocalists, she was not influenced by any historical jazz musicians, because she did not have any knowledge of jazz music until her late start as a singer. Even though she began studying jazz history in Paris, it was already after she had created her own vocal style. Rather, she sang various genres of music from classical music to rock music by herself before she headed to Paris to study jazz. This is why her vocal style does not resemble or belong to any particular jazz musicians. She is able to digest any kind of music into her unique vocal style. Having a very wide range of pitch, she has a clear, refreshing, yet deep tone. She is best known for sensitive, sentimental and rich expression as well.
Singles
Other contributions
Buddha Bar Volume 5 features a song named "Road" created by Refractory (a French music group) and sung by Na Yoon-sun, under the name "Youn Sun Nah".
She appears on multiple songs of the 2011 release "Songs of Freedom" by French guitarist Nguyên Lê.