Sophie Milman is the 23-year-old Russian born Jazz singing sensation who reached #1 on iTunes Canada, France, Japan and in the U.S.A twice since the release of her album. Sophie is well on her way to becoming an international star, already a household name in Canada already where her debut was breakthrough jazz album of the year. It held steady in the Top 5 best sellers list according to Neilson-Soundscan, alongside international stars Diana Krall, Michael Buble, and Madeline Peroulx. Sophie reached #12 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz album charts as well!
Currently selling out venue after venue on her North American tour and fresh from a stunning duet performance with Aaron Neville at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, it all started for Sophie in the Ural Mountains of Russia, where she was born. Her family migrated to Israel at the collapse of communism shortly afterward and relocated to Canada a few years later. Little remained from their upheaval other than some family heirlooms and a cherished vinyl record collection, which provided the music that is now the foundation for Sophie's love of jazz.
Sophie Milman's formative years were spent growing up in Israel where she began listening to Jazz intently which led to her deep appreciation for artists such as, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Stevie Wonder, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles and many more. At the tender age of 15, Sophie and her family were uprooted yet again to Canada. It was through her love of music that Sophie was able to adjust to her new surroundings, and her introduction to the rich and diverse musical landscape of Toronto's cultural scene paved the way.
'I love Toronto. I love the fact that you can find every type of music in this city. I love Toronto's openness to new styles and ideas. It creates such an eclectic and rich musical and cultural palette.'
Sophie always loved to sing but her professional career as a singer came about accidentally. Her initial thoughts of entering the jazz world professionally came about when she was encouraged to sit in on a local jazz series called Real Divas. Canadian jazz impresario/musician/producer, Bill King coordinated the show and invariably got the ball rolling on Sophie's imminent career. The response was overwhelming and after seeing Sophie perform just a few times, Linus Entertainment President and CEO Geoff Kulawick offered her a recording contract. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Kerry Doole from Tandem Magazine describes Sophie's style:
'A strong and versatile voice and drop-dead gorgeous.'
Her debut self-titled CD Sophie Milman, which earned her a Juno nomination for Vocal Jazz album of the Year in 2006, is an array of Jazz standards and contemporary new compositions. Produced skillfully by the aforementioned Bill King, and Danny Greenspoon, it brings together the maturity and originality young Sophie offers as a Jazz singer.
Geoff Chapman of the Toronto Star says of Sophie:
'Sophie Milman's brilliant new self-titled CD was one of several Canadian recording highlights in 2005.'
Headlining sold out 500 capacity venues on her first tour this summer, Sophie and her band performed at every major Canadian jazz festival, including the prestigious Festival International Du Jazz Du Montreal - which sold out two months in advance. According to Elle Canada, Sophie is:
'The Real Deal.'
This beautiful and critically acclaimed artist has graced the cover of New York's Jerusalem Report and Forward newspaper, Voir Magazine in Montreal, Lifestyles Magazine, and Klublife Magazine in Toronto. Sophie has it all, she is not just beautiful and talented but well educated, fluent in four languages and juggling her career with studying commerce at the University of Toronto. Things can only get bigger and better for Sophie with the international release of her album by KOCH Entertainment for the USA and JVC in Japan where she will be on tour in December 2006!
