With a bold voice and signature delivery that belies her thirteen
years, Jamia Simone Nash, known simply as "Jamia", is definitely a
superstar on the rise. Since the ripe 'old' age of two, Jamia has been
singing with incredible conviction and building a notable career as a
successful multi-hyphenate -- singer, stage performer and actor --
rivaling pros with many more years of experience under their belts.
Jamia owned the stage on February 24, 2008, at the 80th Annual Academy
Awards® ceremony when she performed the Oscar-nominated original song
"Raise It Up" from the Warner Brothers' feature "August Rush," a movie
for which she received critical acclaim in her feature film debut as
"Hope." In the role, Jamia befriends star Freddie Highmore's character,
a musically gifted, adopted boy searching for his real parents. Her
inspiring lead performance of "Raise It Up" with the Impact Repertory
Theater of Harlem not only won Jamia rave reviews, but also secured her
place in the history books as the youngest African-American to perform
on the prestigious worldwide telecast to date.
The song didn't score a statue but Jamia's appearance was a big win,
widely regarded by critics as one of the evening's highlights. In the
wake of her Oscar-night triumph, the Southern Christian Leadership
Committee (S.C.L.C.) with its W.O.M.E.N. Drum Major for Justice Youth
Award recently recognized Jamia. Before Jamia's worldwide television
debut introduced her to viewers around the globe, she wowed national
audiences with multiple appearances on the "Tonight Show with Jay
Leno," "Good Morning America," and "The CBS Early Show," among others.
Onstage, she's performed live for such luminaries as Aretha Franklin,
John Travolta, Oprah Winfrey, the King of Jordan and the President of
the United States, who dubbed Jamia 'the definition of the future;'
sang the National Anthem during 2003 NBA All-Star Game festivities; and
shared the stage with such superstars as Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion,
Alicia Keys, Josh Groban and John Mayer, to name a few. At age five,
Jamia's big break came when her rendition of the Michael Jackson
classic "Who's Loving You?" on "Showtime at the Apollo" brought the
legendarily tough crowd - known for booing performers off the stage -
to its feet with admiration and rousing applause.
In addition to making a name as a sought-after performer, Jamia has
been generating buzz in Hollywood for her budding acting career. Her
breakout performance in 2006 as a 10-year-old Fantasia Barrino (2004
American Idol winner) in the hit Lifetime television movie "Life Is Not
A Fairytale" drew the attention of television critics, including the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Melanie McFarland. Other notable
appearances include the UPN series "Half and Half," two appearances on
ABC's "My Wife and Kids," the WB's "7th Heaven" and "Steve Harvey's Big
Time." Behind the scenes, the Osborne Middle School student has also
lent her signature vocals to the character "Uniqua" on the popular
Nickelodeon animated series The Backyardigan's. On June 21, 2008 Jamia
appeared at Atlanta's Phillips Arena in a star studded, two-hour
musical event called "Songs of Soul and Inspiration" directed by Golden
Globe, Emmy and Tony award-winning producer and choreographer Debbie
Allen as part of AARP's 50th anniversary celebration. Jamia will be
featured in an once-in-a-lifetime line-up of female vocalists,
including Queen Latifah, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams,
Patti Austin, Shirley Caesar, CeCe Winans, Ann Nesby and Paris Bennett.
Jamia appears on CBS' "Young and the Restless," the #1 daytime soap
opera on television. Cast as "Ana Hamilton," her recurring character
plays opposite America's Next Top Model cycle 3 winner Eva Marcille as
Jamia's mom.
Her father, James Nash, CEO of The Popular Entertainment Group, manages
Jamia's skyrocketing career.
