Nikki Leonti

Last updated
Nikki Leonti
Also known asNikki Leonti Edgar
Born (1981-08-20) August 20, 1981 (age 42)
Origin Corona, California, United States
Genres Contemporary Christian, urban, R&B
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Voice
Years active1998–present
Labels Pamplin, Reprise

Nikki Leonti-Edgar (born August 20, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter. Prior to her work in urban, R&B, and electronic dance music, Leonti recorded contemporary Christian music albums. [1] She lent her vocals to over 250 songs during 4 seasons of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee .

Contents

Early life

Nicole Marie Leonti was born on August 20, 1981, in Corona, California. [2] Her father Greg Leonti was a pastor at the Calvary Southern Baptist church. [1] She began singing at age five, as a church soloist in the Nondenominational Christianity church in Corona. At 13, she made her first recording on a small local label. [3]

Career

In 1998, Leonti recorded her debut full-length album, Shelter Me, which reached No. 179 on the Billboard 200, and No. 7 on the Contemporary Christian chart. [4] Her second album, Nikki Leonti was released in 2001. Both were produced by brothers Dino and John Elefante, and issued on the independent Christian label, Pamplin. Shortly after her 18th birthday, Leonti got pregnant out of wedlock and was shunned by the CCM community with many Christian music stations pulling off broadcasting of her records. [5] She retired from the Christian music industry not long after. [6]

In 2006, Leonti was hired as a backup singer for Carrie Underwood, performing on tour and on various television shows. [5] [7] After three years with Carrie Underwood, Leonti began working with Rich Velonskis, forming the R&B group, Nikki & Rich, retro neo-soul duo. [3] Velonskis, also known as Rich Skillz, producer of various artists, including Ludacris, Lil' Kim, and Robin Thicke. [8] Nikki & Rich released their debut album, entitled Greatest Hits, on September 27, 2011, issued on the Reprise Records/Born Rich label. The duo has performed live on Ellen and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . [9] Together, they were named as one of the New York Post's "10 New Artists to Watch in 2010" [10] and "10 Artists to Know in 2011". [11] Nikki & Rich confirmed their split in January 2015. [5]

Nikki lent her vocals to over 100 songs during 4 seasons of the Fox hit show, Glee . She has written songs for artists, including Robin Thicke, Jessie J, Candice Glover, Rebecca Ferguson and Ivy Quainoo. [9]

In early 2015, Nikki announced that she had founded a band called Edgar with her husband Ryan Edgar, whom she married in November 2014. [5] On June 7, 2016, she appeared alongside her husband and daughter Jaslyn as a trio on America's Got Talent , auditioning on episode 2 of season 11. [12] [13] [14] They performed "I'll Stand by You" by The Pretenders. [6] The group progressed through the preliminary rounds and took one of 36 live performance show spots. [15] [16]

In 2018, she performed alongside Crystal Lewis, Stacie Orrico and Rachael Lampa for a special event called REUNITE CCM. [9]

In 2019, Nikki started working full-time as a songwriter for television and film, as well as theatrical and animation. She has written music in various commercials that include; Samsung, Aerie, Ford, Victoria's Secret, and Toyota, to name a few. She's had her original music featured in hundreds of television episodes and has been a consistent song contributor for the Disney Channel.

Personal life

Leonti was married in 1999 to Ryan Gingerich, lead guitarist of the Christian band, Scarecrow & Tinmen. [1] They divorced in 2002, having become the parents of one daughter, Jaslyn (b. 2000). They later discovered the marriage was never legally documented. In 2004, she married Aaron Dame and gave birth to their son, Jordan (b. 2004). [1]

She married singer-songwriter Ryan Edgar on November 6, 2014. [2] Ryan Edgar and Leonti have a daughter, Frankie (b. 2015).

Discography

Solo
Nikki & Rich
Adeline River

Appearances on other recordings

Filmography

Film and television roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2013 Californication Band MusicianEpisode: "I'll Lay My Monsters Down"
2014 Eternity: The Movie Gina MarieFilm
2016 America's Got Talent HerselfContestant; season 11

Related Research Articles

Shari Watson, known as Truth Hurts, is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Elefante</span> Musical artist

John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. From 1981-1984, he was lead vocalist of the rock group Kansas and is currently touring with several groups that have featured members from classic rock bands. His credits include writing and singing lead vocals on three multi-platinum albums. He produced albums that have earned numerous GMA Dove Awards, four Grammy Awards, and ten Grammy nominations. He has maintained a close working relationship with his brother, Dino, co-writer of several Kansas songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backing vocalist</span> Singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists

A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a broad range of popular music, traditional music, and world music styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiki Dee</span> English pop singer (born 1947)

Pauline Matthews, better known by her stage name Kiki Dee, is an English pop singer. Known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown's Tamla Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Fischer</span> American vocalist and songwriter

Lisa Melonie Fischer is an American singer and songwriter. She found success with her 1991 debut album So Intense, which produced the Grammy Award–winning hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". She has been a back-up singer for a number of famous artists, including Sting, Luther Vandross, and Tina Turner, and she toured with The Rolling Stones from 1989 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carina Round</span> English musician (born 1979)

Carina Round is an English singer-songwriter from Wolverhampton.

Rachael Maureen Lampa is an American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and record producer. At age 15, she rose to fame and critical acclaim in 2000 with the release of her debut album, Live for You.

Teresa Fay Gibbs is an American country music artist who is blind. Between 1980 and 2017, she has recorded eleven studio albums, including four for MCA Records and one for Warner Bros. Records. She also charted 13 singles on the Billboard country singles charts in that timespan, including her debut single "Somebody's Knockin'", which reached No. 8 on the country charts, No. 13 on the pop charts and No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary charts. She also entered the country top 20 with "Rich Man", "Mis'ry River", "Ashes to Ashes" and "Anybody Else's Heart but Mine."

Venetta Lee Fields is an American-born Australian singer and musical theater actress, and vocal coach.

Ashley Lauren Monroe is an American country music singer-songwriter.

<i>Rachael Lampa</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Rachael Lampa

Rachael Lampa is the self-titled third album from Christian pop singer Rachael Lampa, released in 2004 on Word Records. The album contains more of a pop rock feel compared to Lampa's earlier releases. The track "All This Time" is an example of this style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Somerville</span> American singer-songwriter

Amanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach who resides in Wolfsburg, Germany. She is known primarily for her work with many European symphonic metal bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki Yanofsky</span> Canadian singer

Nicole Rachel "Nikki" Yanofsky is a Canadian jazz-pop singer from Montreal, Quebec. She sang the CTV Olympic broadcast theme song, "I Believe", which was also the theme song of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. She also performed at the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics and at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games. She has released four studio albums to date, including Nikki in 2010, Little Secret in 2014, Turn Down the Sound in 2020, and Nikki By Starlight in 2022.

<i>Stronger</i> (Natalie Grant album) 2001 studio album by Natalie Grant

Stronger is the second studio album by Contemporary Christian music singer Natalie Grant. It was released on June 12, 2001, through Pamplin Records, and was re-released on February 26, 2002, through Curb Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Kadish</span> American songwriter and record producer (born 1971)

Kevin Paul Kadish is an American songwriter and record producer. He co-wrote, produced, and mixed the 2014 Diamond certified single "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, the song was named the 67th Biggest Hot100 Hit of All-Time, by Billboard, seated between The J. Geils Band's "Centerfold" (66) and John Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over" (68). The song received two nominations at the 57th Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

<i>Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album</i> Soundtrack album by the cast of the American television series Glee

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album is the fourth soundtrack album by the cast of the American musical television series Glee, produced by Ryan Murphy and Adam Anders. The album was released digitally on November 9, 2010, with physical copies available from November 16, 2010. It accompanies the second season episode "A Very Glee Christmas", which aired on December 7, 2010. Dante Di Loreto and Brad Falchuk serve as the album's executive producers. The album debuted at the top position of the Billboard Soundtracks chart, and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. Songs from the album also landed on various different record charts across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Get It Right (<i>Glee</i> cast song) 2011 single by Glee Cast

"Get It Right" is a song performed by the cast of American television series Glee, taken from their sixth soundtrack album, Glee: The Music, Volume 5. It is sung by Lea Michele who portrays the series' lead character, Rachel Berry. The song was written by the series' music producer Adam Anders, who created the song with his wife Nikki Hassman, and writing partner Peer Åström. Anders and company wrote the song specifically for Michele, and based the lyrics on Rachel's storyline. The song was released with a number of Glee songs on the iTunes Store on March 15, 2011. Musically, "Get It Right" is a piano-driven pop ballad, with mild country influences. According to MTV's Aly Semigran, the song has similarities to Britney Spears' "Everytime" (2004).

Thornetta Davis is an American Detroit blues and rhythm and blues singer. She has opened for Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, and Etta James, and sang backing vocals on Bob Seger's 1991 album, The Fire Inside. She also worked with Kid Rock and Alberta Adams, and has released three solo albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Sanderson-White</span> British singer-songwriter, musician, artist and writer

Helen Sanderson-White is a British singer-songwriter, musician, artist and writer from Buckinghamshire. A singer and pianist, she has worked in most genres including pop, folk, classical and Contemporary Christian Music, however she is most known for her secular pop, soul and jazz work. With a soprano voice, reviewers have said: "she has a really beautiful tone to her voice, rich and silky…", "a great voice, one that captures your attention, these are songs that want to be listened to…" and "Helen's vocals are smooth and pitch-perfect."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blood Command</span> Norwegian punk rock band

Blood Command is a Norwegian punk band from Bergen. The band was formed in 2008 by Yngve Andersen, Silje Tombre and Sigurd Haakaas. The current lineup consists of Andersen, Haakaas, Benjamin Berge, Snorre Kilvær, and Nikki Brumen. The band has been praised for their high-energy live shows and their fresh, vibrant take on rock music, with their albums earning rave reviews from Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, and others. As of 2023, Blood Command has released five studio albums and four EPs.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 August 24, Ashmeet Bagga-Published; March 20, 2016 at 8:47 am | Last Updated; Am, 2018 at 6:34 (2016-08-24). "America's Got Talent Edgar Family Band: 3 Facts You Need to Know". Earn The Necklace. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  2. 1 2 "Nikki Leonti". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  3. 1 2 "Nikki Leonti Biography". TodaysChristianMusic.com. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  4. ↑ "Nikki Leonti Music News & Info". Billboard.com. 1998-10-03. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Exclusive Clip: Nikki & Rich Frontwoman Resurfaces on 'America's Got Talent'". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  6. 1 2 "Exclusive Clip: Nikki & Rich Frontwoman Resurfaces on 'America's Got Talent'".
  7. ↑ Despres, Tricia (2016-08-25). "Wait till you hear Carrie Underwood's connection to this "America's Got Talent" finalist". Country Music News, Artists, Songs, and Videos | Rare Country. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  8. ↑ "Soul Mates". LA Times Magazine. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  9. 1 2 3 "Nikki Leonti on Singing with Katy Perry, Christian Music & REUNITE CCM". www.hallels.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  10. ↑ "10 new artists to watch in 2010". Nypost.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  11. ↑ "10 Artists to Know in 2011: New Music Musts". Nypost.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  12. ↑ "The Recovering Preachers Kid". therecoveringpreacherskid.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  13. ↑ "The Edgar Family Band takes over 'America's Got Talent'". BLEEP Magazine. 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  14. ↑ "'America's Got Talent' contestants perform for patients | LLUH News". news.llu.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  15. ↑ "America's Got Talent". America's Got Talent . 2016-07-12. Event occurs at 20:58. NBC. WGBA.
  16. ↑ Talent Recap (2016-07-20), The Edgar Family Trio MIND BLOWING Performance Judge Cuts 1 | America's Got Talent 2016 | Ep. 8 , retrieved 2019-04-19
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.