Nicolette Palikat
Encyclopedia
Nicolette Louisa Palikat (born November 1, 1985 in Berrien Springs, Michigan
), better known by her stage name, "Nikki", is a Malaysian singer from Tambunan
, Sabah
, and a finalist in the first season of Malaysian Idol
. She is known for her vocal belting
and her ability to sing in the whistle register
.
descent. She is fluent in her native tongue of Bahasa Dusun as well as English and Malay
. Prior to entering tertiary study at Kolej Matrikulasi Labuan
, Nikki attended St. Francis Convent Secondary School in East Malaysia
.
Nicolette is married to Audi Mok, a talented and young music composer on Saturday 27 June 2009 at 2pm in St Francis Xavier Church, Petaling Jaya, presided by Rev Father Simon Yong.
, Sarawak
, impressing the judges with her rendition of Mariah Carey
's Emotions. She eventually progressed through to the 'Final 12' of the competition. After six weeks, Nikki was voted out on September 12, 2004 to some controversy, as she had been seen as a favourite to win by Malaysian Idol judge, Paul Moss
.
The following lists Nikki's Malaysian Idol performances:
Originally planning to continue with her studies after her exit from the competition, Nikki secured a recording contract with Artistes United Records and released her debut album, Maharani
, in Malaysia on November 28, 2005. The title means 'Empress' in Malay. This album showcases Nikki's abilities in the whistle register, with one critic mentioning it as "whistling a la Mariah Carey." The ballad 'Pinta' marked Nikki's official debut in the music industry.
The music video
for Nikki's second single, Caramu, has been criticised for bearing similar themes and choreography to various music videos of South Korean singer, BoA
.
This same song won Nikki and collaborating artist, Zahid, an award for best vocal duo at Anugerah Era
2006, a Malaysian music awards ceremony.
Following Caramu, Nikki teamed up with fellow Malaysian singer, Yanie, and both featured in Ning Baizura
's August single release, Drama.
On 28 December 2008, Nikki released her second album, Hawa featuring the singles "Relakan" and "Selamat Tinggal".
Singles
Berrien Springs, Michigan
Berrien Springs is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,862 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Oronoko Charter Township. Berrien Springs is best known for its Seventh-day Adventist community and Andrews University...
), better known by her stage name, "Nikki", is a Malaysian singer from Tambunan
Tambunan
Tambunan is a valley district located in the Interior Division of the state of Sabah. The district covers an area of 1,347 km2.. Its population was estimated to be around 27,852 in 2000, based on the 2000 Population and Housing Census conducted by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia....
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, and a finalist in the first season of Malaysian Idol
Malaysian Idol
Malaysian Idol is the Malaysian version of the Idol Series that started in UK, similar to shows such as UK's Pop Idol and American Idol in the franchise. This show is a contest to determine the best young singer in Malaysia, with the winner receiving a major record deal, although some runners-up...
. She is known for her vocal belting
Belt (music)
Belting refers to a specific technique of singing by which a singer produces a loud sound in the upper middle of the pitch range. It is often described as a vocal register although some dispute this since technically the larynx is not oscillating in a unique way...
and her ability to sing in the whistle register
Whistle register
The whistle register is the highest register of the human voice, lying above the modal register and falsetto register...
.
Personal life
Nikki is of DusunDusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Kadazan ethnic group, a new unified term called "Kadazan-Dusun" was created. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group...
descent. She is fluent in her native tongue of Bahasa Dusun as well as English and Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
. Prior to entering tertiary study at Kolej Matrikulasi Labuan
Kolej Matrikulasi Labuan
-Introduction:Labuan Matriculation College is a pre-university college located on the Federal Territory of Labuan...
, Nikki attended St. Francis Convent Secondary School in East Malaysia
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
.
Nicolette is married to Audi Mok, a talented and young music composer on Saturday 27 June 2009 at 2pm in St Francis Xavier Church, Petaling Jaya, presided by Rev Father Simon Yong.
Professional career
While a university student, she successfully auditioned for Malaysian Idol in KuchingKuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, impressing the judges with her rendition of Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's Emotions. She eventually progressed through to the 'Final 12' of the competition. After six weeks, Nikki was voted out on September 12, 2004 to some controversy, as she had been seen as a favourite to win by Malaysian Idol judge, Paul Moss
Paul Moss
Paul Raymond Moss is the general manager of Media Prima network's media portal and a judge in 8TV's One in a Million singing contest.Moss was the AS A&R director of record company Positive Tone from its inception in 1994 until last year...
.
The following lists Nikki's Malaysian Idol performances:
- Audition - Emotions - (Mariah Carey)
- Workshop - One Moment in TimeOne Moment in Time"One Moment in Time" is an Emmy Award winning song written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul, South Korea.-History:...
- (Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
) - Wildcard - The Voice WithinThe Voice Within"The Voice Within" is a song written by Christina Aguilera and Glen Ballard, with production by Ballard. It was released as the fifth and final single from Aguilera's second album, Stripped on December 23, 2003. The single peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Aguilera's seventh Top 40...
- (Christina AguileraChristina AguileraChristina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
) - Top 12 - Crazy in LoveCrazy in Love (song)"Crazy in Love" is the debut single by R&B singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles, featuring rapper and now-husband Jay-Z. Producer Rich Harrison, Knowles and Jay-Z wrote the song for Knowles' debut solo album, Dangerously in Love. "Crazy in Love" is an R&B love song which incorporates elements of...
- (BeyoncéBeyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
) - Top 10 - I Want You BackI Want You Back"I Want You Back" was released in 1969 and in early 1970s became a number-one hit single recorded by The Jackson 5 for the Motown label. The song, along with a b-side cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", was the only single from the first Jackson 5 album, Diana Ross Presents...
- (The Jackson 5The Jackson 5The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
) - Top 8 - Against All OddsAgainst All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying...
- (Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
) - Top 7 - I'm with You - (Avril LavigneAvril LavigneAvril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
) - Top 6 - Emotion - (Destiny's ChildDestiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
)
Originally planning to continue with her studies after her exit from the competition, Nikki secured a recording contract with Artistes United Records and released her debut album, Maharani
Maharani (album)
Maharani is a 2005 music album by Nicolette "Nikki" Palikat, the Kadazan-Dusun singer from Malaysian Idol, released on the Artistes United Records label. Ning Baizura is the executive producer...
, in Malaysia on November 28, 2005. The title means 'Empress' in Malay. This album showcases Nikki's abilities in the whistle register, with one critic mentioning it as "whistling a la Mariah Carey." The ballad 'Pinta' marked Nikki's official debut in the music industry.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Nikki's second single, Caramu, has been criticised for bearing similar themes and choreography to various music videos of South Korean singer, BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
.
This same song won Nikki and collaborating artist, Zahid, an award for best vocal duo at Anugerah Era
Era FM
Era FM, is a Malaysia national Malay radio station operated by AMP Radio Networks. The adult contemporary category radio station broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The radio station went on air on August 1, 1998...
2006, a Malaysian music awards ceremony.
Following Caramu, Nikki teamed up with fellow Malaysian singer, Yanie, and both featured in Ning Baizura
Ning Baizura
Ning Baizura binti Sheikh Hamzah , popularly known as Ning, is a Malaysian pop and R&B singer, who records and sings in languages, including Bahasa Malaysia, English, Japanese, Italian, French, Mandarin and Cantonese...
's August single release, Drama.
On 28 December 2008, Nikki released her second album, Hawa featuring the singles "Relakan" and "Selamat Tinggal".
Discography
Albums- MaharaniMaharani (album)Maharani is a 2005 music album by Nicolette "Nikki" Palikat, the Kadazan-Dusun singer from Malaysian Idol, released on the Artistes United Records label. Ning Baizura is the executive producer...
(2005) - Hawa (2008)
Singles
- Caramu
- Imaginasi
- Drama
- Relakan
- Selamat Tinggal
- Cantik
- Belas-Mu
- Hawa