Nadia Bjorlin

 

One of Days of our Lives' most colorful characters, conniving Nancy Wesley, has a huge secret, a daughter she gave up for adoption when she was a college freshman. For Days of our Lives newcomer Nadia Bjorlin, landing the coveted role of Chloe, Nancy's reclusive and musical prodigy daughter, is something that the young actress and classically trained singer has been preparing for her entire life.

Nadia, the fifth child of six born to world renowned Swedish Maestro Ulf Bjorlin and his Persian wife, Fary, began her life in Newport, Rhode Island. The Bjorlins migrated back to Sweden, her father's native country, when Nadia was two months old. Being the family of a conductor and composer, the Bjorlins traveled and lived abroad for several years until their father took a job conducting the Florida Philharmonic and Palm Beach symphony. By this time, Nadia was completely seduced by her father's love of music. She started performing professionally at age eight, singing with two of her brothers at her father's concerts. They soon became known as the BJORLIN TRIO, a group which thrived even after her father passed away when Nadia was twelve. Nadia was also featured in her dad's adaptations of classic stories into musicals, such as Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, and The Portrait of Raoul Wallenberg.

As a child, Nadia attended the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for several years, where she received recognition and awards for excellency in theatre, voice, music an dance. Nadia spent her junior high school years and her first two years of high school attending the Palm Beach County School of the Arts.

Nadia feels most at home on the concert stage, but she is quite accomplished in other facets of the arts. Besides singing professionally with the Palm Beach Opera for two years, Nadia has graced the covers of several international fashion publications and danced in the Ricky Martin music video for "Shake Your Bon Bon." Nadia plays the piano, flute and just recently picked up the guitar, which she is self-teaching. "All of my brothers and sisters have some kind of music ability," Nadia explains. "My mother, who is an interior decorator and designer, is the most visually artistic person I know."

In 1996, Nadia competed in an international vocal competition in Verona, Italy, where she won the gold medal. When Nadia was a junior in high school, the Bjorlins moved to the Big Apple where she attended the prestigious Professional Children's School in NYC. In May of 1999, Nadia won first place in the Metro Lyric Opera Competition in New York City. After graduating high school in May of 1999, Nadia knew she wanted to shift her focus to acting.

One week after landing an agent, a nationwide casting call went out for the role of Chloe. Nadia was flown to L.A. for a screen-test, and two days later, returned to New York City to pack up her life for the big move out west for her role on NBC's number one daytime drama.

In her spare time, Nadia enjoys horseback riding, ice skating, swimming, and all kinds of music and dance. "I especially love Latin music and Latin dance, such as the salsa and merengue, and I am also a fan of Persian and Arabic music," the young actress states. "My mom taught me to belly dance as a child, and I've loved it ever since."