Macy Gray

Macy Gray (born Natalie Renee McIntyre on September 6 1967) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B, soul, and neo soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Miles Davis' ex-wife Betty Davis.

To date, Gray has released four studio albums, one compilation album, and one live album — with her fourth studio album, Big, released in March 2007. "Coming Back to You", her latest song, is featured on the soundtrack to the 2006 film Déjà Vu. She has appeared in a number of films including Training Day, Spider-Man, and Idlewild. Gray is best known for her international hit single "I Try", taken from her multi-Platinum debut album On How Life Is.

Biography

Career beginnings

After her birth in Canton, Ohio and attendance at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, also in Ohio, Gray decided to pursue a career in music. However, Gray's initial success came as a surprise. She agreed to write songs for a friend of hers and a demo session was scheduled for the songs to be recorded, by another singer. When the vocalist failed to turn up to record the songs, Gray found herself recording them herself. The demo tape created a lot of attention and consequently landed Gray the opportunity to sing at jazz cafés in Los Angeles, California. Despite Gray's dislike of her own voice, her vocals garnered lots of attention around the jazz scene, and Atlantic Records signed her to their label. Months later, Gray gave her demo album to Atlantic much to her dismay, due to the record label being dissatisfied with her efforts. Also going through the break-up of her marriage and expecting her third child, Gray retreated back to Canton. During this time, Gray's demo tape was still doing the rounds, and in 1998 she landed a record deal with Epic Records.

On How Life Is (1999)

During the whole of 1998, Gray continued to work on her debut album. Released in the summer of 1999, On How Life Is became a worldwide smash. Despite the first single "Do Something" stalling on the charts, it was by word of mouth and the release of second single "I Try" that the album really became a success for Gray. "I Try" was one of the biggest singles of 1999, and subsequent singles "Still" and "Why Didn't You Call Me" ensured the album becoming triple Platinum in the U.S., quadruple Platinum in the UK, and triple Platinum in Canada.

In 2001, Gray won the Grammy Award for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for "I Try", which was also nominated for "Song of the Year" and "Record of the Year". She then collaborated with Fatboy Slim, The Black Eyed Peas, and Slick Rick (on the song "The World Is Yours", from the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack), as well as acting for the first time in the thriller Training Day. In 2001, Gray was booed off stage after forgetting the words to the American national anthem.

Subsequent albums

In the midst of the controversy, Gray's The Id became a commercial failure, largely stalling on the U.S. charts, in spite of appearances by John Frusciante and Erykah Badu, though the album managed to peak at number eleven on the Billboard 200. However, it peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the BPI. The underperformance in the United States, compared to her debut album, may have been attributed to the fact that The Id was released just a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks. In 2002, she appeared in Spider-Man as herself and worked with Santana on the track "Amoré (Sexo)", from his album Shaman. A cartoon based on Gray's childhood was being developed at one point, but it never came to fruition.

In 2003, Gray released her third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself, to raving reviews. The lead single "When I See You" became a radio hit in the U.S. and a top forty hit in the UK, although the album wasn't as well received by fans. It nevertheless became Gray's third top twenty album in the UK. A greatest hits collection and a live album were subsequently released: The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004) and Live in Las Vegas (2005).

Gray also performed voice-overs for the character Seeiah Owens in the Electronic Arts video game SSX Tricky. She hasn't been featured in any of the game's sequels.

Big (2007): return to prominence

Gray began 2007 badly after being kicked offstage at a concert in Barbados for profanity (which was part of the show), but she wasn't aware that it was against the law in that country. She gave a public apology that night to avoid arrest.

However, March saw the release of Gray's fourth studio album (sixth overall), entitled Big. Two singles, "Finally Made Me Happy" and "Shoo Be Doo", have been released from the album. It is largely considered as Gray's comeback album, after a four-year hiatus since her last studio album. The album has been critically acclaimed and seen as her best work yet. It features collaborations with Natalie Cole, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, and will.i.am, who co-executive produced the album with Gray. Big is the second release from will.i.am's record label, will.i.am Music Group, after Fergie's The Dutchess.

The album has been moderately successful in the U.S., where it debuted and peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard 200, becoming Gray's highest-charting album since The Id. Surprisingly, Big has not seen the same success in the UK, where it reached number sixty-two on the albums chart, becoming her lowest-charting album in the UK by far, but in fairness, the release of lead single "Finally Made Me Happy" did not precede the release of the album. With the official release of "Finally Made Me Happy", sales of Big may increase in the UK.

Personal life

Gray was married to Tracy Hinds from 1996 to 1998, with whom she had three children: Aanisah (in January 1995), Tahmel (in December 1995), and Cassius (in 1997). She opened up a music academy called The Macy Gray Music Academy in 2005 and it was the scene of MTV's Punk'd because of black mold in the building. Gray has been highly praised for her work with the academy and has given underprivileged children and teenagers the chance to perform.

Discography

Albums

Cover	Information
File:Macy Gray-On How Life Is (album cover).jpg	On How Life Is Released: July 27 1999 Chart positions: #4 U.S., #9 U.S. R&B, #3 UK, #2 CAN, #19 GER U.S. certification: 3x Platinum U.S. sales: 3 million UK certification: 4x Platinum UK sales: 1.2 million Canadian certification: 3x Platinum Canadian sales: 300,000
File:Macy Gray - The Id album cover.jpg	The Id Released: September 18 2001 Chart positions: #11 U.S., #9 U.S. R&B, #1 UK, #6 CAN, #10 GER U.S. certification: Gold U.S. sales: 500,000 UK certification: Gold UK sales: 100,000 Canadian certification: Platinum Canadian sales: 100,000
File:MacyGrayTrouble.JPG	The Trouble with Being Myself Released: July 15 2003 Chart positions: #44 U.S., #29 U.S. R&B, #17 UK, #46 GER U.S. certification: — U.S. sales: 134,000
File:The Very Best Of Macy Gray album cover.jpg	The Very Best of Macy Gray Released: September 7 2004 Chart positions: #36 UK U.S. certification: — U.S. sales: ?
File:MacyGrayLive.JPG	Live in Las Vegas Released: March 1 2005 Chart positions: — U.S. certification: — U.S. sales: ?
File:MacyGray Big.jpg	Big Released: March 27 2007 Chart positions: #39 U.S., #14 U.S. R&B, #62 UK, #149 FRA, #38 SWI U.S. sales: 60,937 U.S. certification: UK certification:

Singles

Year	Single	Album	Chart positions
			U.S.	U.S. R&B	U.S. dance	UK
1999	"Do Something"	On How Life Is	—	63	—	51
	"I Try"		5	2	—	6
2000	"Still"		—	48	—	18
	"Why Didn't You Call Me"		107	100	—	38
2001	"Sweet Baby" (featuring Erykah Badu)	The Id	—	13	—	23
	"Sexual Revolution"		—	—	4	45
2003	"When I See You"	The Trouble with Being Myself	—	57	37	26
	"She Ain't Right for You"		—	52	—	—
2004	"Love Is Gonna Get You"	The Very Best of Macy Gray	—	—	—	—
2007	"Finally Made Me Happy" (featuring Natalie Cole)	Big	—	—	—	—
	"Shoo Be Doo"		—	55	—	—

Single appearances

Year	Single	Album	Chart positions
			U.S.	U.S. R&B	U.S. rap	UK
2001	"Demons" (Fatboy Slim featuring Macy Gray)	Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars The Very Best of Macy Gray	—	—	—	16
	"Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)" (Common featuring Macy Gray)	Like Water for Chocolate	—	61	—	48
	"Request + Line" (The Black Eyed Peas featuring Macy Gray)	Bridging the Gap	63	51	2	31

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role
2001	Training Day	Sandman's Wife
2002	Spider-Man	Herself
2003	Scary Movie 3	Herself
	Gang of Roses	Assassin
2004	Lackawanna Blues	Pauline
	Around the World in 80 Days	Sleepy Frenchwoman
	Lightning in a Bottle	Herself
2005	The Crow: Wicked Prayer	Carman
	Shadowboxer	Neisha
	Domino	Lashandra Davis
2006	Idlewild	Taffy

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Ally McBeal	Herself	"Hope and Glory" (episode 20, season 3)
2002	MDs	Jess	"Wing and a Prayer" (episode 7)
2004	American Dreams	Carla Thomas	"Real-to-Reel" (episode 12, season 2)
	That's So Raven	Rhonda	"Taken to the Cleaners" (episode 4, season 3)
	Blue's Clues	Herself	"Bluestock"
2005	Duck Dodgers	Diva (voice)	"Diva Delivery/Castle High" (episode 10, season 2)
	American Dragon: Jake Long	Trixie's grandmother (voice)	"Act 4, Scene 15" (episode 5, season 1) "Professor Rotwood's Thesis" (episode 8, season 1)
		Miss Jenkinks	"Act 4, Scene 15" (episode 5, season 1)
	1-800-Missing	Cleo	"A Death in the Family" (episode 13, season 3)

Trivia

• Appeared in the eighth season of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown, playing for Habitat for Humanity. She finished in third place, behind Robin Tunney and Christopher Meloni, and ahead of Joy Behar and Andy Dick.
• Was a Neopet for a short period of time on the popular virtual pets site of the same name. She was changed into the Kau during July 2000.
• Performed the theme song for the Nickelodeon cartoon As Told by Ginger, "My Grass Is Green (As Told by Ginger)".
• Performed the theme song for the NBC series Miss Match, "Love Is Gonna Get You".
• The song "I Try" was featured in the 1997 film Love Jones, two years before her album was released.
• In 2003, she was the headliner for The Justice Ball, a annual fundraiser for the Los Angeles-based charity Bet Tzedek Legal Services. This performance took place at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, California.
• Wil-Dog of Ozomatli played with her up until she got her big break.

Awards and nominations

1999

Nominations

• Grammy Awards: "Best New Artist" and "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" ("Do Something")
• Soul Train Music Awards: "Best R&B/Soul Album - Female" (On How Life Is)

2000

Wins

• Grammy Awards: "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" ("I Try")
• BRIT Awards: "International Breakthrough Act" and "International Female"
• MTV Video Music Awards: "Best New Artist" ("I Try") and "Best Cinematography" ("Do Something")

Nominations

• MTV Video Music Awards: "Best Female Video" and "Best Art Direction" (both for "I Try)"
• Grammy Awards: "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year" (both for "I Try")
• American Music Awards: "Favorite New Artist - Pop/Rock"

2001

Nominations

• MTV Video Music Awards: "Breakthrough Video" ("Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)" — shared with Common) and "Best Hip-Hop Video" ("Request + Line" — shared with The Black Eyed Peas)
• Billboard Music Video Awards: "Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year" ("Request + Line" — shared with The Black Eyed Peas); the video also received a nomination for Joseph Kahn for "Director of the Year"

See also

• List of African Americans
• List of famous tall women

External links

• Official website
• Macy Gray on Geffen Records website
• Template:MySpace-music
• Template:Amg
• Macy Gray goes naked for Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit
• Video of recent rehearsal showcase
• Macy Gray's Ghetto Love Reviews and 100+ photos