Niki Haris (born April 17, 1962) is an American singer and dancer of

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

, R&B,

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

, perhaps best known for having been one of Madonna's

backing vocalist A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...

s from 1987 to 2001, and as being the guest lead vocalist on various

Snap! Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea Austin, Turbo B, N ...

singles in the early 1990s.

Early life and family

Haris was born Gina Nichole Haire in

Benton Harbor, Michigan Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. According to the 2020 census, its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, of ...

on April 17, 1962, the daughter of

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

nominated

artist

Gene Harris Gene Harris (born Eugene Haire, September 1, 1933 – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz. From 1956 to 1970, he played in The Three Sounds tr ...

."Biography"
Official site. She attended college in Southern California before pursuing a singing career in amusement parks and clubs in the California area. Haris gave birth to a daughter, Jordan Ann, in 2003. The father is

Club Nouveau Club Nouveau is an American R&B group formed by record producer/performer Jay King in 1986 in Sacramento, California, following the breakup of the Timex Social Club. The group's name (French for "New Club") was changed from its original incar ...

member, producer, songwriter (and

Karyn White Karyn Layvonne White (born October 14, 1965) is an American singer who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She is known for several hit singles including "Superwoman" (1988), " Secret Rendezvous" (1989), " The Way You Love Me" (19 ...

's manager)

Jay King Club Nouveau is an American R&B group formed by record producer/performer Jay King in 1986 in Sacramento, California, following the breakup of the Timex Social Club. The group's name ( French for "New Club") was changed from its original inca ...

Music career

Haris was a friend and backing vocalist for Madonna and began working with Madonna in her Who's That Girl Tour. She appeared in the movie ''Truth or Dare'', a documentary of backstage and onstage footage recorded during the Blond Ambition Tour. She also acted in the Madonna videos " Vogue" and "

Music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...

". With

Donna De Lory Donna De Lory is an American singer, dancer and songwriter. Part of a musical family, De Lory has been performing since a young age. Her voice can be heard on albums by Carly Simon, Ray Parker Jr., Kim Carnes, Santana, Martika, Laura Branig ...

, Haris participated in various Madonna tours including Who's That Girl Tour (1987), Blond Ambition Tour (1990),

The Girlie Show Tour The Girlie Show was the fourth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna, in support of her fifth studio album, ''Erotica'' (1992). In October 1992, Madonna simultaneously released ''Erotica'' and the coffee table book ''Sex''. The ...

(1993) and The Drowned World Tour (2001). During The Re-Invention Tour in 2004, Haris was replaced with

Siedah Garrett Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand N ...

. The official word from Haris is that she "would like to focus on her solo career and family." Haris was also absent from Madonna's following Confessions Tour, Sticky & Sweet Tour, MDNA Tour and

Rebel Heart Tour The Rebel Heart Tour was the tenth concert tour by American singer Madonna, staged in support of her thirteenth studio album, ''Rebel Heart'' (2015). Comprising 82 shows, the tour visited North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It began on S ...

. Her vocal film work is also featured on the soundtracks of '' Corrina, Corrina'', '' The Big Green'', ''

Noises Off ''Noises Off'' is a 1982 play by the English playwright Michael Frayn. Frayn conceived the idea in 1970 while watching from the wings a performance of ''The Two of Us'', a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, "It was funnier f ...

'', '' Coyote Ugly'', '' Urban Legends: Bloody Mary'' and ''

Anastasia Anastasia (from el, Ἀναστασία, translit=Anastasía) is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, where it was the mos ...

''. She has also recorded television themes, including co-writing and performing two songs for the Fox series '' Dark Angel''. Haris toured with her father, until his death, while promoting their albums, ''Down Home Blues'' and ''In His Hands'' and ''Jazz Alley Cats''. Haris performed at benefits for AIDS, cancer research and Camp Harmony for inner city children. She is a supporter for the Music in the Classroom program and

Rockers Against Drunk Driving Rocker or rockers may refer to: Places *Rocker, Montana, a neighborhood in Butte, Montana, United States People *Rocker, a British drummer, formerly of The Flatmates *Fermin Rocker (1907–2004), painter and illustrator *John Rocker (born 1974), ...

and is an annual participant in the Season for Non Violence. Niki has made several television appearances in 2008 & presently in 2009 including: The Democratic National Convention 2008, CNN,

Fox Network The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations a ...

Fuse TV Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting multi ...

Collaborations

Haris has collaborated with many artists including,

Michelle Branch Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums: ''The Spirit Room'' and ''Hotel Paper.'' She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Coll ...

, All Saints,

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm Quiet storm is a radio format and ge ...

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Prince A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

Julian Lennon Julian Charles John Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon; 8 April 1963) is an English musician. He is the son of Beatles member John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, and he is named after his paternal grandmother, Julia Lennon. Julian ...

LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at age 13 with 1996's "Blue". She has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Chris ...

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, ''Swee ...

Pussycat Dolls Pussycat or Pussy Cat may refer to: * Cat, a domestic feline Music Bands * Pussycat (band), a Dutch country and pop group * The Pussycats, a 1960s Norwegian rock band * The Pussycats, a group signed to Kama Sutra Records Albums * '' Pussy Cats' ...

, Santana,

The Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the Los ...

Rufus Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin '' rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include: Given name Politicians * Rufus Ada George (born 1940), Nigerian politician * Rufus ...

Enrique Iglesias Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; (born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican indie label Fonovisa and became the bestselling Spanish-language act of the decade. By th ...

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

, Madonna,

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer * Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...

Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...

, Michael Bernard Beckwith and Ani DiFranco. Niki appeared on Donna De Lory's 2013 album on a track called 'Kinder'.

Choreographer and acting career

Haris choreographed the MTV Awards for Madonna as well as providing some additional choreography on The Girlie Show, and for the television series ''

Melrose Place ''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in ...

''. She helped stage scenes for

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of vario ...

in ''

Basic Instinct ''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. The film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran ( Michael Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a w ...

''. Haris has performed in lead appearances in '' Truth or Dare'', was featured artist on the HBO special ''Sandra After Dark'', and had a role in the film ''

Heat In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is ...

''. Niki appeared in, and sang backing vocals for

Pee-Wee's Playhouse ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' is an American television series starring Paul Reubens as the childlike Pee-wee Herman that ran from 1986 to 1990 on Saturday mornings on CBS, and airing in reruns until July 1991. The show was developed from Reubens's ...

Christmas Special.

Selected lead vocal credits

*" Do Anything" by

Natural Selection Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Cha ...

featuring Niki Haris (1991); (reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) *"There's No Business Like Show Business" (during credits of '' Noises Off...'') *" Exterminate!", (1992 hit performed with

) *"What's It Gonna Be" (early 1990s No. 1 dance club chart hit produced by

John Jellybean Benitez John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters. H ...

) *"

Do You See the Light (Looking For) "Do You See the Light (Looking For)" is a song by German Eurodance group Snap!, released in May 1993 as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, '' The Madman's Return'' (1992). It features American singer Niki Haris and recei ...

" (1993 hit performed with

, re-released and remixed for European market in 2002) *"Where Are the Boys, Where Are the Girls?" with

. Featured on the CD album release of "

Welcome to Tomorrow ''Welcome to Tomorrow'' is the third and most recent studio album by German Eurodance project Snap! It was released in 1994 on Arista/ Ariola Records and made the top ten in Germany and Switzerland. Background In 1993, Snap! producers Micha ...

" *"Battle Hymn of the Republic" (from Gene Harris "In His Hands" (1996) album) *"Total Love" (hit single in Italy and Germany 2000-2001) *"The One" (co-written by Haris from Dark Angel Soundtrack, 2002) *"Let Me Hear the Music" (single from 2006 produced by L.E.X.– DJ Eddie X and Luigi Gonzalez– for 3 Monkeys Productions) *"I Will Always Be There" (Urban Legends: Bloody Mary Soundtrack) *"Bad, Bad Boy" (No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard

Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as ...

chart in 2009) *" This Time Baby" (No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard

chart in 2009)

Selected backing vocalist work for Madonna

*Madonna's world tours: Who's That Girl (1987), Blond Ambition (1990), Girlie Show (1993) and Drowned World (2001). *Madonna music albums: '' Like a Prayer'', '' I'm Breathless'', '' The Immaculate Collection'', ''

Erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use a ...

'', ''

Bedtime Stories A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare the child for sleep. The bedtime story has long been considered "a definite institution in many families".Dickson, Marguerite Stockma ...

'', '' Something to Remember'' and '' Ray of Light''. *Various live performances with Madonna, including: MTV Video Music Awards, Grammy Awards, EMA Awards and television shows.

Albums

* ''Live in Switzerland'' (jazz) * ''Niki Haris Live'' (jazz) * ''Niki Haris and Friends'' (jazz) * ''The Beginning'' (gospel) * ''Dance'' (pop/dance)

Singles in charts

Filmography

*''

'' (1995), a

Michael Mann Michael Kenneth Mann (born February 5, 1943) is an American film director, director, screenwriter, and Film producer, producer of film and television who is best known for his distinctive style of crime drama. His most acclaimed works include ...

action/drama film with

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Al Pacino, numerous accolades: including an Aca ...

and

Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...

*'' Visa commercial'' (2007) in which Haris stars in and sings the song "

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

References

External links

Official Niki Haris SiteNiki Haris MyspaceOfficial Shakir Entertainment Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haris, Niki 1962 births American dance musicians American female dancers American dancers American women singers Living people People from Benton Harbor, Michigan 21st-century American women Snap! members