About Youn Sun Nah

Korean singer born in Seoul on the 28th August 1969. Daughter of a Choir Director and an Opera Singer, Youn Sun Nah starts her musical career with the Korean Symphony Orchestra at the age of 23 without having studied singing before. She then participated in numerous Korean musicals of national scale and for which she has often been rewarded. She has even been demanded by one of the Biggest Japanese company of the genre (Sakye), but declined the invitation. As she did not find suitable fulfilment in these musical environments, due to all their constraints, Youn Sun decided in 1995 to go to Paris in order to study jazz and French songs. She registered at CIM school, one of the oldest jazz school of the French capital, at the National Music Institute of Beauvais and at the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory. Her natural fondness for jazz reveals itself when she starts playing in the Parisians jazz clubs in 1996-97 with David Georgelet and Yoni Zelnik (still playing together today). She rapidly provokes considerable attention, notably by Jacques Vidal who invites her on his record 'Ramblin' (1999). She receives numerous prizes (Jazz à La Defense, Saint-Maur, Montmartre...), continues to comb jazz clubs and also participates at festivals. Parallel to this French life, Youn Sun performs in Korea. Some opportunities have her living a double life, one in her native country, one in the country that has adopted her. In order to make this feasible, she is working with two different teams. In Seoul, she created her own production structure, Bis Music, with which she produced two records as a leader. Those were distributed by SONY MUSIC. In Paris, she almost exclusively worked with her quintet whose records are produced by an independent label, In Circum Girum. In 5 years, Youn Sun Nah has recorded 4 albums (2 of which are exclusively distributed in Korea) and has extensively performed in various jazz festivals in France, Europe and Korea. In 2003 she obtains a full recognition by the Korean audience and media who declare her Jazz Artist of the Year. A few months before, she had been broadcast with her quintet on a program for ARTE Channel called Paris Jazz Club - Rue des Lombard. In 2004, the release of Youn Sun Nah5's 'So I Am...' is widely celebrated by the French specialised as well as generalist press which fully recognise her talent and present her now like one of the most remarkable singer of the new generation. Lastly, her live performances are awarded by an impressive jury of jazz professionals at Jazz à Juan Revelation 2005.