Biography

Uku Suviste’s introduction

I am a singer, pianist, writer and producer from Estonia.

I won Best Male Singer, in Estonia’s popular televised young people’s song competition called Kaks Takti Ette (Two Beats Ahead) in 2006.

In 2010 I took part in Russians biggest singers competition and took the third place, again being the best male singer. There were over 12000 competitors from all over the world.

I graduated Tallinn Music School majoring piano, also Georg Ots Music school majoring pop-jazz singing.

I was studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, USA  majoring in singing, contemporary writing and production. I made the Dean’s List with every semester, by achieving a GPA (grade point average) of 3.8 out of maximum 4.

Berklee gave me an opportunity to perform with many famous and talented musicians such as Jennifer Holliday, Jetro da Silva (keyboard player for Whitney Houston, Brian McKnight etc) and many other.

I also competed and took second place in the jazz oriented Uno Naissoo Nimeline Loomingu competition with an original composition called Sõbrad (Friends) in 2005. The previous year I was given a special award for my original composition „Never Have To“. Now in 2008 my and my good friend Mairo Marjamaa wrote a song called “Refreshing” and we won the competition.

I’ve been working as a studio engineer and a music producer and produced a number of hit songs for many famous Estonian artists.

While gaining valuable experience working in different studios I had an opportunity to record a lot of my own originals.

I released another cd called “Ilus Aaeg” (Beautiful time) in November 2008 with the winner of Estonian Idol 2007 Birgit Õigemeel, also being the arranger for all the tracks on it.

I engineered, produced and performed an original Christmas Cd called “It’s Christmas Time“.

Quotes and facts

2003 – Uno Naissoo song competition Grand Prix

2004 – Uno Naissoo song competition 2nd place

2006  – Uno Naissoo song competition 1st place

2005 – 2 Takti Ette (Estonian Idol) 3rd place (Best Male)

2005 – 2007 Berklee College dean’s list

2008 – CD arranging and performing for Birgit Õigemeel (Estonian idol 2007 winner)

2010 – Participating in TV reality called „Singing with stars“

2009 –Cosmopolitan „most carismatic man“.

2010 – Women’s magazine Buduaar „most stilish man“

2010 –  „Estonian’s sexiest man 2010“

2010 – Russian’s biggest singers competition “New Wave” 3rd place.

Khristian Dentley (Take 6) –  “You have a gift from the Lord and I pray that it prospers you in life”

Richard Evans – Arranger and professor in Berklee. Hees has arranged for Natalie Cole, Peabo Pryson, Tower of Power, Buddy Rich and many more talented musicians from all over the world. He has won grammy for „the best producer“. “I have had the pleasure of judging this very talented young man who was singing as a candidate for Singer’s Showcase where I gave him the highest score possible.”

Michael Wartofsky – Vocal professor in Berklee. “Uku’s final project for Vocal Writind was perhaps the best submitted in my four years of teaching course. It is unusal to find a student so adept in so many disciplines.”

Phillip Ferrell – Berklee student, singer, pianist and producent.

(www.phillipferrell.com). “I was immediately impressed by his musicianship both through his vocals as well as his keyboard skills. I have seen his commitment to immerse himself in the American culture socially and musically.”