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Nikki Yanofksy knows she became the “I Believe” girl two years ago.
That’s when the 18 year old jazz-pop singer from Montreal was chosen to sing the CTV broadcast theme, I Believe, during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
She also sang the national anthem during the opening ceremony.
Yanofsky, who makes her Massey Hall headlining debut on April 21 in Toronto before a May to August strech of Canadian arena dates opening for Il Divo, said it got so bad she avoided the colour red at one point.
“In the height of it I would walk anywhere and people were like, ‘Oh, that’s the I Believe girl!’’ Yanofsky told QMI Agency while in Toronto this week.
“Whenever I’d wear like a red top or anything red, I would get more recognized because I guess I wore red at the Olympics and it kind of triggers that memory for people. I had a red winter jacket and anywhere I’d go in Vancouver I’d get recognized so I switched my jacket.”
Still, the major upside was that I Believe got people to listen to her 2010 studio album, Nikki, with a followup album currently in the works.
“I Believe really helped with that because it’s a very big, pop anthemic kind of sound. So people heard that and then they went and looked me up and I got lots of mail from younger people saying, ‘You know, I had no idea even what jazz really was and I heard your song I Believe and then I listened to your other things and it’s so cool.’”

NIKKI YANOFSKY’S CANADIAN TOUR DATES:
Apr. 21, Massey Hall, solo show, Toronto, ON
May 18, Opening for Il Divo, Collosseum at Caesars Palace, Windsor, ON
May 20,Opening for Il Divo Scotiabank Place Ottawa, ON
May 22, Opening for Il Divo Bell Centre Montreal, QC
May 24, Opening for Il Divo Halifax Metro Centre Halifax, NS
May 25, Opening for Il Divo Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB
May 26, Opening for Il Divo Harbour Station Saint John, NB
July 25, Opening for Il Divo, Rogers Arena,Vancouver, BC
July 27, Opening for Il Divo, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
July 28, Opening for Il Divo, Rexall Place Edmonton, AB
July 29, Opening for Il Divo, Credit Union Centre,Saskatoon, SK
July 31, Opening for Il Divo, MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Aug. 7, Opening for Il Divo, John Labatt Centre, London, ON

Apparently, Montrealer Patrick Watson’s recent SXSW show in Austin, in support of his band’s fourth album, Adventures in Your Own Backyard, in stores April 17, reduced the National Public Radio male reviewer to tears.
“That’s what he wrote, I didn’t see him, I’m not an eyewitness!” joked Watson to QMI Agency before adding more seriously: “Like NPR’s the radio station I listen to. I love it. I was definitely flattered.  At the same time, when I hear that, I don’t think I brought someone to tears. I think music brought someone to tears. And music is a much bigger thing than I am, you know? My dad always said, ‘Musicians are like satellites, and they’re in the right place at the right time and they get music from space.’ I’ve always kept that analogy. Music’s kind of like a language and you’re having a conversation with the piano and the piano will tell you the story and you just write it down.’ It really feels like that to me if I’m being really honest. As I travel, little ideas pop in my pocket and I keep them there until that day where I sit at the piano and have a conversation. It’s weird. I’m a pretty hyper guy I guess, so I get to the piano, I’m pretty happy for something to calm me down.”
Still, he’s encouraged by the American response so far.
“I think our audiences will build in the states because of this record,” said Watson. “I just feel like it’s the right time.”

PATRICK WATSON CANADIAN TOUR DATES:
04/15/12 Montreal, QC || Théâtre Corona (Sold-out)
04/16/12 Montreal, QC || Théâtre Corona (Sold-out)
04/17/12 Montreal, QC || Théâtre Corona (Sold-out)
05/29/12 Toronto, ON || Danforth Music Hall
06/14/12 Vancouver, BC || The Vogue Theatre
07/04/12 Montreal, QC || Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier