Byron Nicholai facts for kids
Byron Nicholai, also known as Uqill’aq or Ukila, is a talented musician from Toksook Bay, Alaska. He is famous for his online videos where he sings in the Yup'ik language.
Who is Byron Nicholai?
Byron grew up in Toksook Bay, a community in Alaska. In 2014, he began sharing videos of himself singing in his native Yup'ik language. He posted these videos on a Facebook page called "I Sing, You Dance." One video became super popular, getting over 150,000 views! Because of this, some people even called him the "Justin Bieber of Alaska."
In 2015, Byron performed for John Kerry, who was then the United States Secretary of State. This special performance happened in Washington, D.C. at an event for the Arctic Council.
Byron's Music Journey
Later in 2015, Byron released his first music album. It was called "I Am Yup'ik," or Wiinga Yupiugua in Yup'ik. This album became a top seller in the "world music" category on Amazon Music in New Zealand and Australia.
Byron was also featured in an ESPN documentary short film in 2016. The film had the same name as his album, "I Am Yup'ik." This movie was even shown at the famous 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Since 2016, Byron's music style has changed. He now often mixes Yup'ik sounds with rap, hip hop, and R&B music. He has released two shorter music collections, called EPs. These EPs are "Still Here" (2019) and "Assirtua (I'm Good)" (2020).
Awards and Recognition
Byron Nicholai has received special awards for his work.
- In 2014, he won the President's Award from the Alaska Federation of Natives.
- In 2015, he was given an Alaskan Spirit of Youth award.
