Nominations for 88th Academy Awards or 2016 Oscars for this year's Best Original Song category were recently unveiled and singer Sumi Jo has become the first Korean singer to be nominated for the most prestigious awards in Hollywood. The 53-year-old opera singer has earned the nomination for the song titled "Simple Song # 3."
Jo's version of "Simple Song # 3" is written and composed by an American award-winning composer David Lang. Lang won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Music and 2010 Grammy Award. The song has featured in 2015's English language comedy and drama film "Youth." According to Kpopstarz, Jo can be seen singing the English language song in the movie itself. Scroll down to listen to her song as published on YouTube.com.
Jo's competition in Oscars include, The Weeknd's "Earned it" from "Fifty Shades of Grey," J. Ralph and Sia's "Manta Ray" from "Racing Extinction," Lady Gaga's "Til it Happens to You" from "The Hunting Ground" and Sam Smith's "Writings on the Wall" from "Spectre."
Jo's "Simple Song # 3" was also nominated in 2016 Golden Globe but Smith was declared the winner. Born in Seoul, Jo began learning music at a very young age of 4. She graduated from Sun Hwa Arts School and then went on to continue studying music in Seoul National University.
Jo is a well-known soprano singer with more than 50 recordings to her name. She has been honoured with several awards including the most prestigious music award Grammy for Best Opera Recording conducted by Sir Georg Solti's Strauss' "Die Frau ohne Schatten" for the Decca label in 1993. She performed a song at the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing.
According to Bin Tang, Jo also will be the first Korean to attend the Oscars night. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will present the 88th Academy Awards on Feb. 28. The ceremony will be held in Dolby Theatres in Hollywood beginning at 5.30pm PST. The ceremony will broadcast live on the United States channel ABC. Hollywood actor Chris Rock will host the highly anticipated awards show.
