Yannis Papanikolas was born in 1992 in Megara. He began studying percussion at the age of 14. In 2016, he traveled to Uccle, Belgium, where he attended a year of introductory jazz drumming courses at Bruno Castellucci’s Drums High School, while also completing a series of private lessons with Michel Hatzigeorgiou. In 2018, he continued his studies at the Athenaeum Conservatory and then at the Jazzart Jazz Music School.

He has attended seminars with musicians such as Giannis Stavropoulos, Nikos Siderokastritis, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Steve Smith and Bill Stewart.

He participates in many groups and has collaborated with artists such as Arionas Gyftakis, Gabriele Milozzi and Tryphonas Typou.