Nikki Webster
Nikki Webster |
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Nikki Webster (born 30 April 1987) is an Australian pop performer. She is best known for her starring role in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and her single "Strawberry Kisses".
Early career
Nikki Webster was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 30 April 1987. Her first appearance on stage was at the age of four and she appeared in her first commercial at the age of six, a Twisties commercial. In 1994, she was a member of the cast of Aladdin and made a guest appearance on Home and Away. In 1995, she was in the ensemble cast of an Australian production of Cinderella and made a guest appearance on ABC-TVs G.P.
Nikki went to the MLC School in Burwood until Year 6, before enrolling in The McDonald School of Performing Arts in North Strathfield, Sydney. There, she attended drama, ballet, musical theatre, and singing tuition, as well as obtaining her High School Certificate in Business Studies, Music, Dance, Drama, Unit 2 English and General Mathematics, achieving a university admissions index of 56.35.
Webster won her first billed stage appearance as Young Cosette in Les Misérables in 1997-98. There she worked with Dave Willetts, Rachael Beck, Amy Vierboom and other less successful personalities. She also guest-hosted Midday in 1998 with Kerri-Anne Kennerley. In 1999, Nikki Webster won the role of Brigitta von Trapp in The Sound of Music with Lisa McCune and continued to perform in the role into 2000. In 2000, she became a household name in Australia following her performance as "Hero Girl" at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Her song "We'll Be One" was released as a single in Australia in 2000 and went gold.
Recording career
Webster signed a contract with BMG after her success in the Olympics and her first single "Strawberry Kisses" reached #2 on the Australian singles charts in 2001 and went platinum. Her debut album Follow Your Heart also went platinum with second single "Depend On Me" going top 20 and third single The Best Days/Over the Rainbow going top 40. She also starred as Dorothy in an Australian stage performance of The Wizard of Oz [1] in 2001/02. Webster was nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Selling album and she won a John O'Keefe Encouragement Award at the 2001 Mo Awards.
Webster's 2002 BLISS album also went gold with first single "Something More Beautiful" going gold and second single "24/7 (Crazy Bout Your Smile)" also reaching the top 20.
Later, Webster released a cover version of "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas which reached the top twenty while her 2004 single "Let's Dance" also reached the top 40 in Australia. A greatest hits album was released soon afterwards - shortly before she ended her contract with BMG .
Recent career
In 2006, Nikki stated in interviews that she was living and working in Nashville, Tennessee writing with well known writers working on her new album. It is still unknown when she will release new material. She also appeared in one episode of Australian TV series Thank God You're Here as a cast member.
In May 2007, Nikki played the lead role of Sheila in a Perth production of the rock musical HAIR along with Rob Mills and Cosima De Vito. The production was directed by Chris Kabay and musically directed by Simon Holt of yellow glass theatre.
In September 2007, she raised eyebrows by performing as a wind-up doll at the Sydney gay and lesbian dance party Sleaze Ball.[1] This and her October 2006 photoshoot appearance in men's magazine ZOO Weekly was seen as an attempt to mature her image.
She also currently regularly appears on the show 20 to 1.
In January 2008, she announced she would be opening a performing arts school in February with brother Scott in a bid to help young people get into the industry. [2]
Discography
Albums
Follow Your Heart
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BLISS
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Let's Dance
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The Best of Nikki Webster
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Singles
| Year | Song | Australia[3] | New Zealand | United Kingdom | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "We'll Be One" | 19 | — | — | Single-only |
| 2001 | "Strawberry Kisses" | 2 | 40 | 64 | Follow Your Heart |
| "Depend on Me" | 16 | — | — | ||
| "The Best Days" | 21 | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "Something More Beautiful" | 13 | — | — | BLISS |
| "24/7 (Crazy 'Bout Your Smile)" | 19 | — | — | ||
| 2003 | "Dancing in the Street" | 19 | — | — | Let's Dance |
| 2004 | "Let's Dance" | 37 | — | — |
Notable Performances
- 2007 Sleaze Ball, Sydney
- 2004 Australia Day Eve Concert, Canberra
- 2003 MusicOz Awards
- 2003 Warner Bros Movie World performances, Gold Coast
- 2002 Sydney Memorial Service for the Bali bombings: singing Over The Rainbow
- 2001 Carols by Candlelight, Sydney
- 2001 Warner Bros Movie World performances
- 2000 Carols By Candlelight, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
- 2000 Carols by Candlelight, Sydney
- 2000 Indian Pacific Train Tour
- 2000 Melbourne Cup
- 2000 Sydney 2000 Olympics, Closing Ceremony, We'll Be One with the Sing 2001 Choir
- 2000 Sydney 2000 Olympics, Opening Ceremony, Under Southern Skies with the Sing 2001 Choir
- 1999 Carols By Candlelight, Sydney with the Sound of Music Cast including Lisa McCune
- 1999 Australia Day Concert, Soloist
- 1999 Variety Club Heart Awards
- 1998 Royal Easter Show, soloist
- 1997 Michael Jackson's History Tour, Sydney Football Stadium
- 1997 Carols By Candlelight, Sydney, with Toni Pearen
Awards
- ARIA Music Awards Nomination for Best Selling Album (2002).
- The 26th Annual Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards, The John O'Keefe Encouragement Award (2001).
- Variety Heart Awards Young Entertainer of the Year (2001).
- John O'Keefe Encouragement Award at the Sydney Town Hall (2001).
References
- ^ Daring Nikki has never feared the cutting edge of life - Music - Entertainment
- ^ People - Life & Style Home - smh.com.au
- ^ a b c d "Nikki Webster - chart peaks". Australian-charts. Retrieved June 17 2007.
- ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2001 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved June 17 2007.
- ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2002 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved June 17 2007.
- ^ "The Best of Nikki Webster - chart peak". ARIA Charts. Retrieved June 17 2007.