New York, NY (February 10, 2026)—Jazz singer, pianist, composer and arranger Nicole Zuraitis’ vocals were captured with a Telefunken M80 dynamic microphone on her new live album, which was recently nominated for two Grammy Awards.
The two-disk, 16-song Nicole Zuraitis & Friends: Live at Vic’s Las Vegas project was recorded by Carmen Grillo and Matty Mosca, and mixed by seven-time Grammy-winning engineer Brian Vibberts. “I have been using the Telefunken M80 microphone since 2008, when there were only three colors available,” Vibberts comments. “The sound of the M80 is pristine, with a clear high end that means I have to apply less EQ in the mix.
“Also, Nicole’s dynamic singing style and great microphone technique work extremely well with the M80. Due to the mic’s low handling noise and excellent feedback rejection, there is less cleanup needed from the live recording. Nicole has an incredible voice, and the Telefunken M80 lets her voice cut through the mix perfectly.”
• 68th Annual Grammy Awards Engineering and Production Winners Announced
Zuraitis, a two-time Grammy winner, has collaborated with artists such as Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Carter, Christian McBride, Darren Criss and Livingston Taylor. She studied classical voice at New York University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music in 2007, and later earned her master’s degree from LSU Shreveport. After a brief period performing opera professionally following graduation, she moved back to New York City in 2009 to pursue songwriting and jazz.
Discover more great stories—get a free Mix SmartBrief subscription!
Zuraitis commented on her performance with the M80 microphone: “My Telefunken M80 brought out every nuance of my voice during the recording of Live at Vic’s. Its tight pattern, warmth and detailed top end let me sing with complete freedom, even in a loud room. It delivered exactly the sound I hear in my head—and that’s rare. I always bring it with me around the world, and I’m certainly glad we were able to use it for this new live album.”