| Niia | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Niia Bertino |
| Also known as | Niia |
| Origin | Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, Pop, Classical, Soul |
| Occupations | Singer, Songwriter, Pianist |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Labels | unsigned |
| Associated acts | Wyclef Jean Jerry Wonda Sterling Fox |
| Website | Official Website MySpace |
Niia Bertino (born on July 11, 1987), better known simply by her stage name Niia is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. As a singer, Niia was recognized at a young age by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts as one of the top jazz singers in the United States.
She is best known for her feature on the 2007 hit single "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)," with Wyclef, Akon, and Lil' Wayne, which was certified Platinum by the RIAA and peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
During and after the release of the single, Niia was developed by producer Jerry Wonda and Wyclef at Platinum Sound in New York City. Additionally, she toured with Wyclef in support of the song and his album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, appearing on The David Letterman Show, Jimmy Kimmel, and MTV New Year's Eve among others.
In 2009, Niia split from Wyclef's camp to pursue her solo career. Niia is currently working on her debut album.
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Niia was born and raised in Needham, Massachusetts. Trained by her mother in classical piano, Niia began singing and performing at the age of 13.[1] She performed at many venues around Boston, and was invited to attend the Berklee College of Music summer program at age fourteen. While in high school, she was recognized as the National Jazz Voice winner in the Arts Recognition and Talent Search by the National Foundation for Advancement for the Arts (NFAA). After high school, Niia went to New York City where she briefly attended New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music as a Jazz vocal major.
After her move to New York City, Niia met singer, songwriter and producer Wyclef Jean who was impressed with her voice and musical skills. After working with Wyclef and producer Jerry Wonda, Niia was a featured artist on his 2007 hit single, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)," which also featured Lil' Wayne and Akon. The song peaked at number ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 after fifteen weeks on the chart and was RIAA certified Platinum.
Niia toured around the world and performed with Wyclef most notably on VH1 Soul Stage, The David Letterman Show, Jimmy Kimmel, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, the BET awards and MTV New Year's Eve in Times Square. Niia also starred in the four part short-film "Americlef", which was created by and broadcast on MTV.
In 2009, Niia split from Wyclef's camp to pursue her solo career. Niia is currently working on music for her first album, which was slated for release in late 2011 and is rumored to be working with New York City producer Sterling Fox.
In 2005 Niia was selected by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts as one of the top 100 singers in the country, and the national winner in the jazz voice category National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Arts Recognition and Talent Search.[1][2]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US] | UK | ||
| 2012 | Untitled Full Length Album
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||
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Pop 100 |
UK Singles Chart | CAN Hot 100 | |||
| 2007 | "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" (Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia) | 12 | 10 | 66 | 14 | Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant |
| Year | Album | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant | "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" Wyclef Jean feat. Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia |
Chris Robinson[3] |