Na Yoon-sun

(Redirected from Youn Sun Nah)

Na Yoon-sun (Korean: 나윤선; born August 28, 1969), also known as Youn Sun Nah, is a South Korean jazz musician.[1]

Na Yoon-sun
Background information
Birth nameNa Yoon-sun (나윤선)
Born (1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 54)
Seoul, South Korea
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1994–present
LabelsACT
Websitewww.younsunnah.com
Na Yoon-sun
Hangul
나윤선
Revised RomanizationNa Yun-seon
McCune–ReischauerNa Yunsŏn

Life and career edit

Na Yoon-sun was born on August 28, 1969, in Seoul. Her parents are musical: 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 acting debut in a musical called Subway Line 1 (지하철 1호선).

Having been exposed to many kinds of music by her parents, Na decided to study and sing jazz after her performance in Subway Line 1. In 1995, she went to Paris to study jazz and chanson. There, she studied jazz at the CIM Jazz School, the National Music Institute of Beauvais, and the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory. After graduating, she taught students at the CIM Jazz School from 2000 to 2001. She formed her own quintet, YSN 5tet, and performed at various jazz clubs, theaters, festivals, and bars in France. Also in 2001 she released her debut album, Reflet. Her mostly self-composed 2002 album, Light for the people, was her first album to receive a wide distribution. She recorded the follow-up, Down by love, with guitarist Olivier Ode. With her 2004 release So I am, she became more known in Europe.[citation needed]

In 2007, she made a pop record, 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 the distinction of the Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[2] She released her album Same Girl in 2010 and in 2013 this was followed by Lento. From 2009 to 2015, she gave about 500 performances in many countries, including prestigious festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival.[3]

Vocal style edit

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.[citation needed] Even though she began studying jazz history in Paris, it was after she had already created her own vocal style. Rather, she sang various genres of music from classical music to rock music by herself before she studied jazz in Paris.

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[4]
AUT
[5]
BEL
(Fl)

[6]
BEL
(Wa)

[7]
FRA
[8]
GER
[9]
SWI
[10]
Reflet
Light for the People
  • Released: August 31, 2002
  • Label: In Circum Girum
Down by Love
  • Released: December 12, 2003
  • Label: Sony Music
89
So I Am...
  • Released: October 19, 2004
  • Label: In Circum Girum, EMI
Memory Lane
Voyage
  • Released: September 22, 2008
  • Label: Triangle, ACT Music, Interglobal
86
Same Girl 13 89 38
Lento
  • Released: March 12, 2013
  • Label: ACT Music, Warner Music Korea
8 145 47 14 70
She Moves On
  • Released: May 19, 2017
  • Label: ACT Music, Warner Music Korea
16 50 184 27 61 38
Immersion
  • Released: March 8, 2019
  • Label: Warner Music Korea
41 36 90
Waking World
  • Released: January 28, 2022
  • Label: Warner Music Korea
76 56 98 74
Elles (with Jon Cowherd)
  • Released: January 26, 2024
  • Label: Warner Music Korea
101
"—" denotes album did not chart or was not released in that region.

Singles edit

  • "My Favorite Things" (August 10, 2010)

Other contributions edit

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.

Awards edit

Award Year Category Nominee/work Ref.
Académie du Jazz 2010 Prix du Jazz Vocal Same Girl [15]
BMW Welt Jazz Award 2010 Second Prize Na Yoon-sun [16]
Concours national de jazz de La Défense 1999 Special Jury Prize
Echo Jazz 2011 Best International Female Singer [17]
Festival de Jazz de Montmartre 1998 Second Prize
Jazz à Juan Révélations 2005 Grand Prize [18]
Korean Music Awards 2004 Best Crossover Album Down By Love [19]
2008 Netizen Vote: Jazz & Crossover Musician of the Year Na Yoon-sun [20]
2009 Best Jazz Album Voyage [21]
2011 Same Girl [22]
2014 Lento [23]

State and cultural honors edit

Country or organization Year Honor Ref.
France 2019 Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres [24]
Korean Cultural Center 2013 Korean-French Culture Award [25]
South Korea 2012 Prime Minister's Commendation [26]
2014 Sejong Cultural Award [27]

References edit

  1. ^ "나윤선 – Profile". Daum. November 11, 2017.
  2. ^ https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/youn-sun-nah
  3. ^ "나윤선 – 인물". Naver. November 27, 2017.
  4. ^ Circle Chart (formerly Gaon Chart) positions:
  5. ^ "Youn Sun Nah". Austrian Charts (in German). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "Youn Sun Nah". Ultratop Vlaanderen (in Dutch). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  7. ^ "Youn Sun Nah". Ultratop Belgique francophone (in French). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "Youn Sun Nah". Les Charts (in French). Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Offizielle Deutsche Charts positions:
  10. ^ "Discographie Youn Sun Nah". Schweizer Hitparade (in German). Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "2004 Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  12. ^ "2007 Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  13. ^ "2013년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  14. ^ "2017년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  15. ^ "재즈가수 나윤선, 佛 '최고 재즈 아티스트' 선정" [Jazz singer Na Yoon-sun wins French 'best jazz artist' award]. Star News (in Korean). January 30, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  16. ^ "Na Yun Sun, premiada en el BMW Jazz Award de Munich" [Na Yun Sun awarded at BMW Jazz Award in Munich]. KBS World Spanish (in Spanish). May 13, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "Nah Youn-sun Named Best Singer in German Jazz Awards". Chosun Ilbo. April 16, 2011. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  18. ^ "The 58th INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL « JAZZ A JUAN »" (PDF). Tourism & Convention Bureau, Antibes Juan-les-Pins. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "올해의 앨범상 혼성밴드 '더더'" [Album of the Year goes to co-ed band 'The The']. Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). March 18, 2004. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  20. ^ "<이적, 한국대중음악상 시상식서 4관왕 영예>" [Lee Juck honored with 4 awards at the Korean Popular Music Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  21. ^ "한국대중음악상 최우수 재즈&크로스오버 재즈 음반상 나윤선" [Na Yoon-sun wins Best Jazz Album Award at Korean Music Awards]. Newsis (in Korean). March 12, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  22. ^ "힙합듀오 가리온, '한국대중음악상'서 3관왕" [Hip-hop duo Garion wins 3 awards at Korean Music Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). February 23, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  23. ^ "조용필, 한국대중음악상 '올해의 노래' 등 2관왕" [Cho Yong-pil wins two awards including 'Song of the Year' at Korean Music Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  24. ^ Kim, Eun-jin (November 15, 2019). "Nah Youn-sun honored by France". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  25. ^ "재즈 가수 나윤선 등 '2013 한불문화상' 수상" [Jazz singer Na Yoon-sun and others receive 2013 Korean-French Culture Award]. Yonhap News (in Korean). May 27, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  26. ^ "2012 대한민국 대중문화예술상 시상" [2012 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards presented]. Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean). November 19, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.
  27. ^ "나윤선·이익섭 교수 등 세종문화상 수상" [Na Yoon-sun, Professor Iksop Lee receive Sejong Cultural Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). May 12, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Naver News.

External links edit