Nicole Zuraitis was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to parents Brett and Jeanette Zuraitis and is of Lithuanian and Italian decent.[5][6][7][8] She began singing at 11 years of age and played trombone and percussion in middle school. She attended Litchfield public schools and Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, Connecticut where she played competitive soccer until she was injured during a game in France.[9] She was later inducted into the 2020 Crusader Hall of Honor.[10] Zuraitis began to sing jazz with a local community college big band after being encouraged by her high school music director and attended Litchfield Jazz Camp, which she attributes to her early interest in jazz.[11][12]
Zuraitis studied classical voice at New York University where she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Music in 2007 and later earned her Master's Degree from LSU Shreveport.[13] After a brief period performing opera professionally after graduation, she moved back to New York City to pursue songwriting and jazz in 2009.[5][14][15]
Career
Zuraitis has released nine albums; Spread the Word (2008), Pariah Anthem (2012), Hive Mind (2017), Live at Two-Headed Calf with Brandon Scott Coleman (2018), Cafės & Conversations (2023), How Love Begins (2024), Siren Songs Volumes 1 and 2 (2024), and Live at Vic's Las Vegas (2025).[16][17][18] She has recorded on album projects as a co-leader including Sonica (2022) and Bianca Reimagined Dan Pugach Big Band (featuring Nicole Zuraitis) (2024).
In 2015, Zuraitis was a runner-up in the The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.[19] In 2019, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals for her performance of Dolly Parton’s Jolene in collaboration with Dan Pugach and in 2024, won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for How Love Begins.[1] Zuraitis had received a music production grant from the Cafe Royal Cultural Foundation to complete her album, How Love Begins in 2022.[17] In 2025, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance for Little Fears.[1] Zuraitis was included in Connecticut Magazine's Class of 2020's "40 under 40"[20] and was listed in DownBeat's Annual Critics Polls in 2024 and 2025 as a "Rising Star, Female Vocalist of the Year."[21][22]
Zuraitis is married to drummer and composer Dan Pugach and they reside in Connecticut.[39][40]They both are advocates for fostering and rehabilitating Pit bulls.[41][42][43][44]
Zuraitis is a jazz vocal instructor at Litchfield Jazz Camp.[45]
↑ Ofgang, Wollschlager, Yuravich, Cohen, Goncalves, Brown (27 January 2020). "40 Under 40: The Class of 2020". Connecticut Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ "Connecticut jazz couple secures 2025 Grammy nominations for music dedicated to saving rescue dogs by Abby Weiss" Record Journal, Page E1, January 25, 2025
↑ "Nicole Zuraitis". All About Jazz. All About Jazz & Jazz Near You. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
↑ Ofgang, Erik; Wollschlager, Mike; Yuravich, Albie; Shameer Cohen, Sherry; Goncalves, Nicole; Brown, Pamela (29 January 2020). "Connecticut Magazine's 40 Under 40, class of 2020". ctpost.com. Hearst Media Services CT. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
↑ "Nicole Zuraitis". Litchfield Jazz Camp. Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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