Their
parents moved
to New York
from Puerto
Rico and were
divorced when
the girls were
younger. The
twins' mother
began a new
relationship
with a man who
acted as Nicole
and Natalie's
stepfather,
also a DJ and
of Dominican
descent. They
grew up in the
Queens and Roosevelt
Island sections
of New York.
Because
their stepfather
worked as a
DJ, the twins
were influenced
by different
types of music.
When the sisters
were only 7
years old, they
wrote their
first song,
"Sisters",
and by the time
they were 10,
they already
knew that they
wanted to become
singers.
The
twins' parents
were very supportive
of their daughters'
ambitions. Their
stepfather even
gave them guitar
and drum lessons.
They were taken
to auditions
and, on some
occasions, they
even performed
on some showcases.
The sisters
wanted to devise
a name of their
own. In using
the first two
syllables of
their names
("Ni"
and "Na"),
they came up
with Nina. They
then added Sky,
which for them
represented
"the sky's
the limit".
They
continued to
go to school
and, in their
spare time,
worked as DJs.
In the year
2000, they met
The Jettsonz
(Elijah Wells
and Lionel Bermingham),
a pair of music
producers who
helped them
develop their
own sound.
In
2004, The Jettsonz
introduced the
girls to Cipha
Sounds, a hip
hop DJ who worked
for the Star Trak
record label owned
by The Neptunes
(Pharrell Williams
& Chad Hugo).
Cipha Sounds was
impressed when
he heard the girls
sing and suggested
that they use
the Coolie Dance
Riddim. The twins
then proceeded
to write "Move
Ya Body"
(along with The
Jettsonz, who
also produced
the record), mixing
riddim with Caribbean
moves and made
a demo.
Nina Sky album
coverThe demo
fell into the
hands of Eddie
O'Loughlin,
the president
of Next Plateau
Entertainment
(which is a
division of
Universal Records).
O'Loughlin signed
the twins to
a contract and
they started
working on their
debut album.
The
single "Move
Ya Body"
was released
on April 27,
2004 and reached
number 17 on
the hit charts.
Urban music
and rhythmic
top 40 stations
quickly added
the song to
their play lists,
sending the
song up the
charts. By July
17, "Move
Ya Body"
had gone to
the top 5 on
both sides of
the Atlantic
and had also
reached the
top 5 of a world
combined r&b
chart based
on the US, UK,
Germany, France
and Australia.
The song had
also reached
the top 50 of
the Australian
charts. On June
29, 2004 they
released their
first, self-titled,
album, featuring
Betty Wright.
The
twins, Natalie
and Nicole continue
to work and
promote their
music. They
have contributed
greatly to the
reggaeton movement
with songs such
as "Oye
Mi Canto",
and "Mas
Maiz" with
artist and producer
N.O.R.E. Their
new album "La
Conexión",
is a mixtape
album that features
collaborations
with Ivy Queen,
Aventura, Tony
Touch, Yaga
y Mackie, Pitbull
and production
from Mysto &
Pizzi, and The
Jettsonz.
Nina
Sky's second
studio album,
"The Musical",
is slated for
a 2007 release.
Producers include,
Scott Storch,
Ryan Leslie,
Cipha Sounds,
Solitair, Cool
& Dre, Salaam
Remi, The Jettsonz
and more. Guests
include Rick
Ross, Trey Songz,
Ne-Yo, Styles
P. & Sheek
Louch. The Cool
& Dre infused
street single
"Flippin'
That" (feat.
Rick Ross) leaked
Memorial Day
2006 & has
generated a
big buzz for
the duo.
Nina
Sky's official
first single
is "Clothes
Off". The
track features
Jack Move Inc.
labelmate, Daytona.
A video clip
for the single
is in the works
& the new
album has an
official release
date of July
17th, 2007.