Nina Ricci is a singer, a song-writer and a vocal coach. She has been living many years in Turin and in Rome, with long stays in England. At the moment, she' s living in Holland. She been studying opera music since her young age with the Argentine soprano Carmen Sensaud and with the Colon Theatre ( Buenos Aires ) director, Armando Krieger, who favoured her debut in 1988 as mezzosoprano in the opera “La vedova allegra” by Lehar. She attended “Giacomo Carissimi” Institute in Viterbo, then she improved herself with the teacher Goffredo Ricci. From 1992, she has been explorying many kinds of music such as jazz, blues, funk and soul; she has performed with many bands and musicians, like :Dario Deidda, Giovanni DiCosimo, Alessandro Maiorino, Alex Gariazzo, Pietro Ciancaglini, GiacomoAnselmi, Armando Sciommeri, Paolo Porta, Mattia Barbieri, Alessandro Minetto,Matteo Salvadori, Fred Casadei, Sandro Oliva, Neenna Freelon, Buddy Miles. In 1996 she moved from Rome to Turin. She has performed as lead singer in the band Disco Inferno for 2 years; and, at the same time, she has played blues music with the guitarist Matteo Salvadori. She has also supported Buddy Miles ( Jimi Hendrix ) in 3 shows of his Italian tour in 1997 . In 2000 she collaborated with the band Mau Mau for their record “Safari beach”. Further, in the same years, she wrote and performed “Frutto strano: le ossa” at Teatro Piccolo in Turin ( music composed with Paolo Gep Cucco, the drummer of Mau Mau). Being interested in singing as a psychological, emotional and physical experience, Nina has also joyned dance workshops directed by AntonellaEusebio. Afterwards, they created a workshop focused on the connections between voice/body and sound/movement. In the same years, trip-hop sounds and blabkmusic were becoming more influential, while her voice was getting more versatile. From 2000 to 2004 Nina has been involving in many projects: she has been the back vocal in “Safari beach”, the album of Mau Mau, the lead singer ofthe African artist Tatè Nsongan' s project “Etnokult”, which was focused on African sounds and traditions; she has been the singer of the NOKIA 2003 spot broadcasted on Mediaset Channels and on Radio Deejay for 5 weeks. She has joyned T:OWN, an experimental project based on the interaction between video (by Softly Kicking), music and live performance ( Nina aka Solekyo and Paco Deluze). Nina has also been singer and co-writer and of “ A day any day “ (featuring LucaMorino, Bunna, Emidio Clementi. Room service Records ). In 2004 T:OWN projec twas performed at Heineken Jamming Festival in Imola for three shows. In August 2007 Nina wrote the song “Duke” for the dj Davem' s debut album “Karat n° 30.Believe ep”, for Karat Record ( a Parisian label ). “Believe” was a success andgot many positive reviews in music magazines like DE:BUG. It was also heartlyrecommended by “Rotation”, one of the most important music store in Berlin. Themeeting with Max Zanotti (Deasonika) pushed Nina to deepen her emotional andmusical pursuit and, in 2008 she edited her first album “The Black Mill”(Concert One/Edel ).

“These songs suggest adark and theatrical vision, whose lyrics deal with deep topics like feminism.”(Michele Monina)

In 2008 she wrote 2 songswith Max Zanotti for “Tredicipose”, the album of

Deasonika : “All the otherguys” and “The beauty thoughts”. Further, she wrote “Angeline” for the soloproject “Crossover”. She took part in Pino Scotto' s last work, edited in 2010(with other artists like Caparezza); Nina is one of the lead vocals of“Soldatini di pongo”. From 2009 she has been studying in depht the origins andthe evolution of blues from a female point of you. With the Roman guitaristAlessandro Fea she created two performances : “Lady B.”, inspired by BillieHoliday, and “Lasciatemi libera”, inspired by the art and life of Patti Smith (at Teatro Cometa off in Rome, broadcasted by Radio Popolare and Radio OndaRossa ). At the same time, she performed at many festivals and musical eventssuch as : Umbria Jazz 2012 ( summer and winter edition ), Festival, Caffeina Festival. She composed thesoundtrack for the Franco Ciambella's fashion line and she performed her debutalbum “The Black Mill” with an acustic arrengement (“Her secret room” project).

As vocal coach, she works with many artists from the indie music sphere. She has taught “Tecnica vocale”at “Accademia di Musica Moderna Stazione Musica” which is the national branch of “Scuderie Capitani”, in Civitavecchia. Moreover, she is the supervisor ofthe “Backstage Music Accademy” apprenticeships. At the moment, she's living and working in Italy and Holland. She's composing her new acoustic album with the guitarist Gert de Graaf and she's writing an handbook about her teaching method, that will be published in 2015

DISCOGRAPHY AND COLLABORATIVE DISCOGRAPHIC PROJECTS

- NINA> THE BLACKMILL ( CONCERTONE/EDEL)

- SAFARI BEACH- MAUMAU ( MESCAL) A DAY ANY DAY- PACO DE LUZ (ROOMSERVICE)

- BELIEVE- DAVEM ( KARAT)

- TREDICIPOSE- DEASONIKA ( EMI/ EDEL)

- CROSSOVER-MAX ZANOTTI ( MY FAVORITE RECORDS)- SOLDATINI DI PONGO- PINO SCOTTO ( VALERY RECORDS)

THE BLACK MILL : REVIEWS

There' s something inexplicable about music' s innate ability to wonder. Sometimes, it' s the individualism of a person, not the music, the reason of such astonishment. This is what happenswith Nina, who debuted in 2008 after many collaborations. Starting with ItalianOpera, she went beyond the limit of the music genre in search of new ways ofexpression: the disillusion of jazz, the energy of soul, the theatricalism, thepursuit of a musical identity which could include all these different styles.All this in order to create something new. That' s the reason why “The BlackMill” came out after many years, like anew beginning. The record consists of the tracks, all essential for the global understandingof the artist. Nina swings from one genre to another, from trip-hop rhythms(“Where are you?”) to jazzy atmospheres (“Let the rain fall”). Nina is notafraid of showing both her sides, so different and so similar at the same time(the hard sound of “Miss X” and the sweetness of “A un solo passo”). Also the Prince' scover “Sign O' the times” perfectlysuits an album which, in spite of its complexity, does not forgo the melody.After all, artists like Nina Ricci can represent the survey of the Italiancontemporary music.

GIOVANNI LINKE FUORI DAL MUCCHIO

Nina Ricci, like a livingoxymoron, overturns the rules of music. Ricci (singer, songwriter and producer)owns a peculiar voice, as a result of many years spent touring around theworld.Switching from Argentine Opera to jazz, blues, funk and soul; until thecollaboration with Buddy Miles, The Jimy Hendrix' s drummer. And, at last, thewarm sound of r' n' b

and trip-hop. In the album wecan find all these influences, mixed with Max Zanotti' s voice (Deasonika).Like a poem running through ethnic vibrations (“Don' t forget M.A.L.T.R”), hermusic sounds like something primitive, which came from Africa to merge withWestern trance-pop and British trip-hop. In conclusion, this record is anunmissing universe of emotions.

MATTEO CHAMAY ROCKERILLA

The ten tracks of the albumshow us fascinating landscapes; fromBjork' s dreamy atmospheres to Massive Attack' s dark visions. Aware of herenchanting voice, Nina uses it in order to free all her talent. The Opera backgroundis not excessive, while the tone is sweet and confident at the same time,depending on the lyrics. Max Zanotti' s voice adds a male touch to thesensuality of the album, which grows until “Damn you”. The two voices expressanger and torment but, in spite of it, they blend together naturally.

VALENTINA COLAIANNI LOST HIGHWAYS

“The Black Mill” is made upof simple chords which turn into gentle melodies, trance-pop rhythm, junglepercussions (which remind of Massive Attack) merging with Nina and Max Zanotti's voices. Even pauses contribute increating a suggestive musical landscape, where the voice is free to expressitself.

MASSIMILIANO MONTI LOUD VISION

“The Black Mill” is one ofthe most interesting debut album of 2008. Nina Ricci proposes a complex work whichis closer to Diamanda Galas' versatility than to Amy Winehouse' s forcedvintage style. Waiting to see her performing with her beautiful voice, we aresure that she will be an emergent artist for the near future.

PATRIZIOSCHINA ROCK ACTION