Macy Gray
Encyclopedia
Macy Gray is a Grammy Award
-winning American R&B
and soul
singer-songwriter
, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday
and Betty Davis
.
Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout
, released on June 22, 2010; and has received five Grammy Award
nominations, winning one. She has appeared in a number of films including Training Day
, Spider-Man
, Scary Movie 3
, Lackawanna Blues, Idlewild
and For Colored Girls. Gray is best known for her international hit single "I Try
," taken from her multi-platinum debut album On How Life Is
.
, Ohio, where she briefly worked at age 12, before being fired for lateness. She decided to pursue a career in music after being expelled from Western Reserve Academy
in Hudson
, which she had attended from the age of 14. However, Gray's initial success came as a surprise. While attending the University of Southern California
(graduated 1990) she agreed to write songs for a friend, and a demo
session was scheduled for the songs to be recorded by another singer. When the vocalist failed to turn up, Gray recorded them herself. She then met writer/producer Joe Solo
while working as a cashier in Beverly Hills. Together, they wrote a large collection of songs and recorded them in Solo's studio. The demo tape landed Gray the opportunity to sing at jazz café
s in Los Angeles
, California
. Despite Gray's dislike of her own voice, Atlantic Records
signed her. She began recording her debut record but was dropped from the label upon the departure of her A&R man Tom Carolan
, who signed her to the label. In 1998, she landed a record deal with Epic Records
. She was on one of the songs from The Black Eyed Peas
' debut album
, "Love Won't Wait".
became a worldwide smash. Despite the first single "Do Something
" stalling on the charts, the release of the second single "I Try
" made the album a success for Gray. "I Try" (which was originally featured in Love Jones and the Jennifer Aniston
-starring vehicle, the romantic-comedy Picture Perfect in 1997) 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 August 2001, Gray was booed off the field at the Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibition game
after forgetting the words to the American national anthem
.
featured appearances by John Frusciante
and Erykah Badu
on the single "Sweet Baby", (which was co-written with longtime collaborator Joe Solo
). The album peaked at number eleven on the Billboard 200
. Despite its failure in the U.S., it reached 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 due to The Id being 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)", for his album Shaman
.
Also in 2002, she appeared on the Red Hot Organization
's compilation CD in tribute to Nigerian afropop pioneer, Fela Kuti
, Red Hot and Riot. She appeared on a remake track of Kuti's classic, "Water No Get Enemy" alongside prominent hip hop and R&B artists, D'Angelo
, The Soultronics
, Nile Rodgers
, Roy Hargrove
, and Kuti's son, Femi Kuti
.
She recorded a duet with Zucchero
called "Like The Sun (From Out Of Nowhere)" which featured Jeff Beck
on guitar released in 2004 on Zu & Co.
, a duets collection. Her song "Time of My Life" was included in the soundrack to 8 Mile. A cartoon based on Gray's childhood was being developed, but it never came to fruition.
In 2003, Gray released her third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself
, to rave 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 was not as well received by fans. Nevertheless, it 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). Additionally, Gray was featured on Marcus Miller
's 2005 album Silver Rain
, on a cover
of Prince
's 1986 song "Girls & Boys
". She also appeared on the soundtrack to the film Chicago
with Queen Latifah
and Lil Kim on "Cell Block Tango/He Had it Comin'."
for profanity (which was part of the show), but she was not aware that it was against the law in that country. She gave a public apology that night to avoid arrest.
In March, Gray released her fourth studio album (sixth overall), entitled Big
. Two singles, "Finally Made Me Happy
" and "Shoo Be Doo
", have been released from the album. "What I Gotta Do", another track from the album, is featured on the Shrek the Third
soundtrack. It is considered Gray's comeback album, after a four-year hiatus since her last studio album. The album was critically acclaimed and seen by some as her best work to date. It featured collaborations with Natalie Cole
, Fergie, Justin Timberlake
, and will.i.am
, who co-executive produced the album with Gray.
The album was moderately successful in the U.S., where it debuted and peaked at #39 on the Billboard 200, becoming Gray's highest-charting album since The Id. Big reached #62 on the albums chart in the UK, her lowest-charting UK album, but it did achieve some success in several other countries including Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Finland, reaching the top forty of their album charts.
PBS
's Soundstage
live concert series premiered a Gray concert on July 5.
On July 7, 2007, Gray performed at the Brazilian leg
of Live Earth
at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil. Gray and her band members wore clothes bearing political messages. Gray's dress carried the message "Darfur Red Alert".
In 2008, Macy launched a new campaign under the name Nemesis Jaxson, with upcoming single, "Slap a Bitch".
Macy was available again in another movie soundtrack (she is featured in more than 10 other soundtracks): Confessions of a Shopaholic
, with the newest track "Don'Forget Me".
, "Beauty in the World
," is featured in the final sequence of the series finale, Hello Goodbye
, of the ABC television series, Ugly Betty
. "Beauty in the World" is also used as the theme in multiple videos created by Microsoft
to promote Internet Explorer 9
. Both singles released from the album ("Beauty in the World" and "Lately") are Top 10 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
Upon its release, The Sellout received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. Metacritic, gave it an average score of 57, based on 15 reviews; Andy Gill of The Independent
gave it 3 out of 5 stars; while Allmusic writer John Bush shared a similar sentiment and panned Gray's songwriting.
However, The Boston Globe
s James Reed commended its productio,. and Jeremy Allen of NME
gave the album a 7/10 rating.
, playing for Habitat for Humanity
. She finished in third place, behind Robin Tunney
and Christopher Meloni
, and ahead of Joy Behar
and Andy Dick
.
In 2002, she was the voice for Seeiah Owens in the video game SSX Tricky
. That same year, she made a brief appearance in the film Spider-Man
as herself.
Gray sang the theme song for a cartoon show on Nickelodeon
, As Told By Ginger
, composed by Jared Faber
and Emily Kapnek
.
She appeared at the 2008 Formula One
Gulf Air
Bahrain Grand Prix
. She stated she liked the Ferrari
team and also found the Honda
driver Jenson Button
'cute'.
In August 2008, Gray headlined at the 2008 Summer Sundae
music festival in Leicester
, England, performing cover versions of Rod Stewart
's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?", Deee-Lite
's "Groove Is in the Heart
" and Radiohead
's "Creep
". For the gig, her band wore pink Andy Warhol
wigs.
On September 28, 2008, Gray sang the American national anthem
as part of the Israeli flag-raising ceremony at the Israeli Consulate of Los Angeles.
In 2008, Gray collaborated with Australian DJ and singer Kaz James
on the song "Can't Hold Back
". The single was released in early 2009 in Australia and is credited to Kaz James featuring Macy Gray. It is included on James' debut solo album, If They Knew
.
Gray has two tattoo
s, one on her right wrist with all her children's names and the other on her leg. She was an early supporter of a Barack Obama
presidential campaign.
, MTV Video Music Awards
and BRIT Awards
.
|-
| rowspan="9"| 2000
| rowspan="3"| Macy Gray
| BRIT Award for Best International Female
||
|-
| BRIT Award for Best International Breakthrough Act
||
|-
| Grammy Award for Best New Artist
||
|-
| On How Life Is || Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female
||
|-
| rowspan="2"| "Do Something
" || Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
||
|-
| MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography
||
|-
| rowspan="6"| "I Try
"
| MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
||
|-
| MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
||
|-
| MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
||
|-
|rowspan="7"| 2001
| Grammy Award for Song of the Year
||
|-
| Grammy Award for Record of the Year
||
|-
|Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
||
|-
| "Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)" || MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video ||
|-
| rowspan="3"| "Request Line"
||MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video
||
|-
||Billboard Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year ||
|-
||Billboard Award for Best Direction in Video ||
|-
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning American R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
and Betty Davis
Betty Davis
Betty Davis is an American funk, rock and soul singer. She was also Miles Davis's second wife.- Background :She worked as a model, appearing in photo spreads in Seventeen, Ebony and Glamour...
.
Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout
The Sellout
The Sellout is the fifth studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Macy Gray, released on June 22, 2010 in the United States. The album's lead single, "Beauty in the World" was released in April 2010...
, released on June 22, 2010; and has received five Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations, winning one. She has appeared in a number of films including Training Day
Training Day
Training Day is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by David Ayer, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The film follows two LAPD narcotics detectives over a 24-hour period in the gang neighborhoods of South and East Los Angeles.The film was a box office success and...
, Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
, Scary Movie 3
Scary Movie 3
Scary Movie 3 is a 2003 American science fiction comedy film, which parodies the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres, directed by David Zucker. It is the third film of the Scary Movie franchise, as well as the first to have no involvement from the Wayans family...
, Lackawanna Blues, Idlewild
Idlewild (film)
Idlewild is an American musical film, released August 25, 2006, written and directed by Bryan Barber. The film stars André 3000 and Big Boi of the hip hop duo OutKast, and Idlewild features musical numbers written, produced, and chiefly performed by OutKast...
and For Colored Girls. Gray is best known for her international hit single "I Try
I Try
"I Try" is the second single from Macy Gray's debut album On How Life Is, released in North American in January 2000 . It was Gray's biggest hit to date...
," taken from her multi-platinum debut album On How Life Is
On How Life Is
On How Life Is is the debut album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on July 27, 1999 by Epic Records. Produced by Andrew Slater, it became Gray's best-selling album to date, selling 3.2 million copies in the United States and seven million copies worldwide.-Track...
.
Early life and career
Macy Gray, was born to Laura McIntyre, a math teacher, and Otis Jones; Laura later remarried Richard McIntyre, who adopted Macy and fathered her brother Nathon and sister Nehlia. Gray was born in CantonCanton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Ohio, where she briefly worked at age 12, before being fired for lateness. She decided to pursue a career in music after being expelled from Western Reserve Academy
Western Reserve Academy
Western Reserve Academy is a private, mid-sized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio.-History:...
in Hudson
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, which she had attended from the age of 14. However, Gray's initial success came as a surprise. While attending the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(graduated 1990) she agreed to write songs for a friend, and a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
session was scheduled for the songs to be recorded by another singer. When the vocalist failed to turn up, Gray recorded them herself. She then met writer/producer Joe Solo
Joe Solo
Joe Solo is an American record producer, songwriter, film /TV composer and musician. He has done work for many artists including Macy Gray, Fergie, and Rami Jaffee of The Wallflowers...
while working as a cashier in Beverly Hills. Together, they wrote a large collection of songs and recorded them in Solo's studio. The demo tape landed Gray the opportunity to sing at jazz café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Despite Gray's dislike of her own voice, Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
signed her. She began recording her debut record but was dropped from the label upon the departure of her A&R man Tom Carolan
Tom Carolan
Tom Carolan is an American music executive and entrepreneur. In his early career, serving as an Artists and Repertoire Executive, at Atlantic Records Carolan was responsible for signing such artists as Stone Temple Pilots, The Lemonheads, Macy Gray, Jim Lauderdale, Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies...
, who signed her to the label. In 1998, she landed a record deal with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
. She was on one of the songs from The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' debut album
Behind the Front
Behind the Front is the debut album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, released in 1998.-Background:Most of the tracks were demos for the Grass Roots album, with added verses by new member Taboo. The song "Joints & Jam" appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Bulworth, where it was billed...
, "Love Won't Wait".
On How Life Is (1999-2001)
Gray worked on her debut album in 1999. Released in the summer of 1999, On How Life IsOn How Life Is
On How Life Is is the debut album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on July 27, 1999 by Epic Records. Produced by Andrew Slater, it became Gray's best-selling album to date, selling 3.2 million copies in the United States and seven million copies worldwide.-Track...
became a worldwide smash. Despite the first single "Do Something
Do Something (song)
"Do Something" is the lead single from Macy Gray's debut album, On How Life Is . The song samples OutKast's 1994 song "Git Up, Git Out" and Nice & Smooth's 1989 song "Funky for You", and therefore contained no less than seventeen co-writers including Gray herself.In the United Kingdom, "Do...
" stalling on the charts, the release of the second single "I Try
I Try
"I Try" is the second single from Macy Gray's debut album On How Life Is, released in North American in January 2000 . It was Gray's biggest hit to date...
" made the album a success for Gray. "I Try" (which was originally featured in Love Jones and the Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
-starring vehicle, the romantic-comedy Picture Perfect in 1997) was one of the biggest singles of 1999, and subsequent singles "Still
Still (Macy Gray song)
"Still" is the third single from Macy Gray's debut album, On How Life Is . The song details a troubled relationship between a woman and a man who is abusive towards her....
" and "Why Didn't You Call Me
Why Didn't You Call Me
"Why Didn't You Call Me" is the fourth and final single from Macy Gray's debut album, On How Life Is .-Reception:In the UK, "Why Didn't You Call Me" became Gray's third consecutive top forty hit on the UK Singles Chart. The single also peaked at number twenty-five on the Adult Top 40 in the U.S...
" 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
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
" for "I Try", which was also nominated for "Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
" and "Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
". She then collaborated with Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
, The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
, and Slick Rick
Slick Rick
Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
(on the song "The World Is Yours", from the Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter...
soundtrack), as well as acting for the first time in the thriller Training Day
Training Day
Training Day is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by David Ayer, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The film follows two LAPD narcotics detectives over a 24-hour period in the gang neighborhoods of South and East Los Angeles.The film was a box office success and...
. In August 2001, Gray was booed off the field at the Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibition game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
after forgetting the words to the American national anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
.
The Id and The Trouble With Being Myself (2001–2005)
Gray's The IdThe Id (album)
The Id is the second studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray. It was released in the United States on September 18, 2001 by Epic Records, a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks, perhaps the main reason for its domestic underperformance; it debuted and peaked at number eleven on the...
featured appearances by John Frusciante
John Frusciante
John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
and Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
on the single "Sweet Baby", (which was co-written with longtime collaborator Joe Solo
Joe Solo
Joe Solo is an American record producer, songwriter, film /TV composer and musician. He has done work for many artists including Macy Gray, Fergie, and Rami Jaffee of The Wallflowers...
). The album peaked at number eleven on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Despite its failure in the U.S., it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and was certified gold by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
. The underperformance in the United States, compared to her debut album, may have been due to The Id being released just a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
In 2002, she appeared in Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
as herself and worked with Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
on the track "Amoré (Sexo)", for his album Shaman
Shaman (album)
Shaman is the sixteenth studio album by Santana. Shaman was released on October 22, 2002 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 298,973. It was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA and Gold in Greece....
.
Also in 2002, she appeared on the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
's compilation CD in tribute to Nigerian afropop pioneer, Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
, Red Hot and Riot. She appeared on a remake track of Kuti's classic, "Water No Get Enemy" alongside prominent hip hop and R&B artists, D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
, The Soultronics
The Soultronics
The Soultronics was an American R&B and neo soul supergroup that served as the backing band for musician D'Angelo in 2000 during The Voodoo Tour, the supporting tour for his second studio album Voodoo...
, Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
, Roy Hargrove
Roy Hargrove
Roy Anthony Hargrove is an American jazz trumpeter. He won worldwide notice after winning two Grammy Awards for differing types of music, in 1997, and in 2002...
, and Kuti's son, Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
.
She recorded a duet with Zucchero
Zucchero
Adelmo Fornaciari, Commander , more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero /ˈtsukkero/, is an Italian rock singer. His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.Zucchero is the...
called "Like The Sun (From Out Of Nowhere)" which featured Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
on guitar released in 2004 on Zu & Co.
Zu & Co.
Zu & Co. is a compilation of songs, mostly written by Italian rock singer Zucchero. With the exception of "Indaco Dagli occhi Del Cielo" and "Il Grande Baboomba", all songs have previously been recorded and released by Zucchero...
, a duets collection. Her song "Time of My Life" was included in the soundrack to 8 Mile. A cartoon based on Gray's childhood was being developed, but it never came to fruition.
In 2003, Gray released her third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself
The Trouble with Being Myself
The Trouble with Being Myself is the third studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on July 15, 2003 by Epic Records. Despite not being a major commercial success for Gray, it received mostly positive reviews. The album features the singles "When I See You"...
, to rave reviews. The lead single "When I See You
When I See You
"When I See You" is the lead single from Macy Gray's third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself, released in 2003.In the United Kingdom, "When I See You" returned Gray to the top forty after "Sexual Revolution" fell short by several places. It became her fifth top forty hit and her seventh...
" became a radio hit in the U.S. and a top forty hit in the UK, although the album was not as well received by fans. Nevertheless, it 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
The Very Best of Macy Gray
The Very Best of Macy Gray is the first greatest hits album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Macy Gray, released in the United States on September 7, 2004 by Epic Records...
(2004) and Live in Las Vegas
Live In Las Vegas (Macy Gray album)
Live in Las Vegas is a live album by American R&B-soul singer-songwriter Macy Gray. The album was recorded at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2004 and released on DVD and CD in 2005.-Disc one:#"Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak" – 7:18...
(2005). Additionally, Gray was featured on Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller is an American jazz composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Miller is best known as a bassist, working with trumpeter Miles Davis, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonist David Sanborn, as well as maintaining a prolific solo career...
's 2005 album Silver Rain
Silver Rain
Silver Rain is an album by bassist Marcus Miller. It was released in 2005.-Track listing:# "Intro Duction" – 0:30# "Bruce Lee" – 5:23# "La Villette" – 5:54# "Behind The Smile" – 6:24# "Frankenstein" – 6:33# "Moonlight Sonata" – 7:38...
, on a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's 1986 song "Girls & Boys
Girls & Boys (Prince song)
"Girls & Boys" is a 1986 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album Parade, the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon. The song was released as a single in the U.K., and as the B-side to "Anotherloverholenyohead" in the U.S.....
". She also appeared on the soundtrack to the film Chicago
Chicago (2002 film)
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago....
with Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
and Lil Kim on "Cell Block Tango/He Had it Comin'."
Return to music and Big (2007-2010)
Gray began 2007 badly after being kicked off-stage at a concert in BarbadosBarbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
for profanity (which was part of the show), but she was not aware that it was against the law in that country. She gave a public apology that night to avoid arrest.
In March, Gray released her fourth studio album (sixth overall), entitled Big
Big (album)
Big is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on March 27, 2007 by Geffen Records. It is Gray's first studio album in four years....
. Two singles, "Finally Made Me Happy
Finally Made Me Happy
"Finally Made Me Happy" is the lead single from Macy Gray's fourth studio album, Big . It features additional vocals from Natalie Cole. It was made available on iTunes for the week of March 18–24, 2007 and sold over 7,000 downloads...
" and "Shoo Be Doo
Shoo Be Doo
"Shoo Be Doo" is the second single from Macy Gray's fourth studio album, Big . The song became the number-one most added track at urban AC radio in late March 2007. It peaked at number fifty-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number eleven on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.-Charts:...
", have been released from the album. "What I Gotta Do", another track from the album, is featured on the Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007...
soundtrack. It is considered Gray's comeback album, after a four-year hiatus since her last studio album. The album was critically acclaimed and seen by some as her best work to date. It featured collaborations with Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Fergie, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, and will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, who co-executive produced the album with Gray.
The album was moderately successful in the U.S., where it debuted and peaked at #39 on the Billboard 200, becoming Gray's highest-charting album since The Id. Big reached #62 on the albums chart in the UK, her lowest-charting UK album, but it did achieve some success in several other countries including Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Finland, reaching the top forty of their album charts.
PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
's Soundstage
Soundstage (TV program)
Soundstage is an American live concert television series produced by WTTW Chicago and HD Ready. The original series aired for 13 seasons between 1974 and 1985; a new series of seasons began in 2003, with the latest running through summer 2009, each presented in high definition with surround...
live concert series premiered a Gray concert on July 5.
On July 7, 2007, Gray performed at the Brazilian leg
Live Earth concert, Rio de Janeiro
The Live Earth concert for South America was held at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2007. It is one of two free Live Earth concerts, the other being held in Washington, D.C. It was the last concert to start during the day-long event. However, that didn't make it the last to...
of Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil. Gray and her band members wore clothes bearing political messages. Gray's dress carried the message "Darfur Red Alert".
In 2008, Macy launched a new campaign under the name Nemesis Jaxson, with upcoming single, "Slap a Bitch".
Macy was available again in another movie soundtrack (she is featured in more than 10 other soundtracks): Confessions of a Shopaholic
Confessions of a Shopaholic (film)
Confessions of a Shopaholic is a 2009 American romantic comedy film based on the Shopaholic series of novels by Sophie Kinsella. Directed by P. J. Hogan, the film stars Isla Fisher as the shopaholic journalist and Hugh Dancy as her boss.-Plot:...
, with the newest track "Don'Forget Me".
The Sellout (2010-present)
The first single from Gray's fifth studio album The SelloutThe Sellout
The Sellout is the fifth studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Macy Gray, released on June 22, 2010 in the United States. The album's lead single, "Beauty in the World" was released in April 2010...
, "Beauty in the World
Beauty in the World
"Beauty in the World" is a song by the American soul singer Macy Gray. It is the first single from her fifth album The Sellout. The song was released digitally on March 30, 2010 in the United States and the music video, as well...
," is featured in the final sequence of the series finale, Hello Goodbye
Hello Goodbye (Ugly Betty)
"Hello Goodbye" is the series finale of the television comedy-drama series, Ugly Betty. The episode serves as the twentieth and final episode of the fourth season. It was written by series creator and executive producer Silvio Horta, and was directed by Victor Nelli, Jr. It first aired on ABC in...
, of the ABC television series, Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
. "Beauty in the World" is also used as the theme in multiple videos created by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
to promote Internet Explorer 9
Internet Explorer 9
Windows Internet Explorer 9 is the current version of the Internet Explorer web browser from Microsoft. It was released to the public on March 14, 2011 at 21:00 PDT. Internet Explorer 9 supports several CSS 3 properties, embedded ICC v2 or v4 color profiles support via Windows Color System, and...
. Both singles released from the album ("Beauty in the World" and "Lately") are Top 10 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
Upon its release, The Sellout received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. Metacritic, gave it an average score of 57, based on 15 reviews; Andy Gill of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave it 3 out of 5 stars; while Allmusic writer John Bush shared a similar sentiment and panned Gray's songwriting.
However, The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
s James Reed commended its productio,. and Jeremy Allen of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
gave the album a 7/10 rating.
Other work
Gray appeared in the eighth season of Bravo's Celebrity Poker ShowdownCelebrity Poker Showdown
Celebrity Poker Showdown was a celebrity game show on the cable network Bravo. It was a limited-run series in which celebrities played poker, and ran eight tournaments during its five-season run....
, playing for Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat For Humanity International , generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing, a self-described "Christian housing ministry." The international...
. She finished in third place, behind Robin Tunney
Robin Tunney
Robin Jessica Tunney is an American actress. She is best known for her lead roles in the movie The Craft and the television series Prison Break and The Mentalist.-Early life:...
and Christopher Meloni
Christopher Meloni
Christopher Peter Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz.-Early life:Meloni was born the youngest of three children in...
, and ahead of Joy Behar
Joy Behar
Josephina Victoria "Joy" Behar is an American comedian, writer, actress, and a co-host of the talk show The View. Behar has a commentary program, entitled The Joy Behar Show, on CNN's sister network, HLN...
and Andy Dick
Andy Dick
Andrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
.
In 2002, she was the voice for Seeiah Owens in the video game SSX Tricky
SSX Tricky
A soundtrack was released in 2002. It features the following songs:#"It's Tricky " - Run-D.M.C.#"Smartbomb " - BT#"Finished Symphony" - Hybrid#"King of the Beats" - Aphrodite#"Board Burner" - Mix Master Mike...
. That same year, she made a brief appearance in the film Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
as herself.
Gray sang the theme song for a cartoon show on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
, As Told By Ginger
As Told by Ginger
As Told by Ginger is an American teen drama animated series that was produced by Klasky-Csupo and aired on Nickelodeon from 2000 to 2009. The series focuses on a middle schooler Ginger Foutley who, with her friends, tries to become more than a social geek. There are many subplots that focus on...
, composed by Jared Faber
Jared Faber
Jared Faber is an American musician, composer, producer and multi instrumentalist from Colombian descent. He grew up in New York City where he attended High School of Performing Arts, and later continued his music education at Berklee College of Music, studying jazz arranging and...
and Emily Kapnek
Emily Kapnek
Emily Kapnek is an actress, television producer and three time Emmy Award nominated writer. She created the animated program As Told by Ginger and executive produced the short-lived television series Emily's Reasons Why Not...
.
She appeared at the 2008 Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Gulf Air
Gulf Air
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
Bahrain Grand Prix
Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004.The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by Gulf Air, made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East...
. She stated she liked the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
team and also found the Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
driver Jenson Button
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British...
'cute'.
In August 2008, Gray headlined at the 2008 Summer Sundae
Summer Sundae
Summer Sundae is an annual music festival held in Leicester, England which focuses on indie, alternative, and local music...
music festival in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England, performing cover versions of Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?", Deee-Lite
Deee-Lite
Deee-Lite was an American house and club/dance group, formed in New York City, United States. The group's best-known single was "Groove Is in the Heart", from their 1990 debut album, World Clique. However, Deee-Lite achieved longer lasting success on the U.S...
's "Groove Is in the Heart
Groove Is in the Heart
"Groove Is in the Heart" is a song by dance music band Deee-Lite from their debut album, World Clique. Released as a single in late 1990, it was a hit in many countries, including in Australia where it was a number-one hit.-Background:...
" and Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
's "Creep
Creep
Creep may refer to:* CREEP, the Committee for the Re-Election of the President, associated with the Watergate scandal of U.S. president Nixon's administration....
". For the gig, her band wore pink Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
wigs.
On September 28, 2008, Gray sang the American national anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
as part of the Israeli flag-raising ceremony at the Israeli Consulate of Los Angeles.
In 2008, Gray collaborated with Australian DJ and singer Kaz James
Kaz James
Christopher James Karyotakis, known professionally as Kaz James , is an Australian singer and DJ. He is a former member of the group BodyRockers. He was raised in Melbourne and is of Italian and Greek origin. He released his first solo album, If They Knew, in 2008.-Early life:James was raised in...
on the song "Can't Hold Back
Can't Hold Back (Kaz James song)
"Can't Hold Back" is the third single released by Australian singer, Kaz James taken off his 2008 debut solo album, If They Knew. It is the singer's first solo Top 50 single in Australia. Macy Gray is a featured vocalist on the song.-Music video:...
". The single was released in early 2009 in Australia and is credited to Kaz James featuring Macy Gray. It is included on James' debut solo album, If They Knew
If They Knew (Kaz James album)
If They Knew is the debut album by Australian singer and DJ Kaz James. It was released in Australia and New Zealand in October 2008.James spent over a year working on the material for If They Knew. He stated in an interview that he recorded and mixed the tracks in the UK, Australia and Los Angeles...
.
Personal life
Gray was married from 1996 to 1998 to Tracy Hinds, with whom she had three children: Aanisah (born January 1995), Tahmel – known as Mel (born December 1995) – also involved in the music industry, and Happy (born 1997). Gray opened up a music academy called The Macy Gray Music Academy in 2005.Gray has two tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s, one on her right wrist with all her children's names and the other on her leg. She was an early supporter of a Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
presidential campaign.
Discography
Studio albums- 1999: On How Life IsOn How Life IsOn How Life Is is the debut album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on July 27, 1999 by Epic Records. Produced by Andrew Slater, it became Gray's best-selling album to date, selling 3.2 million copies in the United States and seven million copies worldwide.-Track...
- 2001: The IdThe Id (album)The Id is the second studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray. It was released in the United States on September 18, 2001 by Epic Records, a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks, perhaps the main reason for its domestic underperformance; it debuted and peaked at number eleven on the...
- 2003: The Trouble with Being MyselfThe Trouble with Being MyselfThe Trouble with Being Myself is the third studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on July 15, 2003 by Epic Records. Despite not being a major commercial success for Gray, it received mostly positive reviews. The album features the singles "When I See You"...
- 2007: BigBig (album)Big is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Macy Gray, released in the United States on March 27, 2007 by Geffen Records. It is Gray's first studio album in four years....
- 2010: The SelloutThe SelloutThe Sellout is the fifth studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Macy Gray, released on June 22, 2010 in the United States. The album's lead single, "Beauty in the World" was released in April 2010...
- 2012: Covered
Films
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Training Day Training Day Training Day is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by David Ayer, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The film follows two LAPD narcotics detectives over a 24-hour period in the gang neighborhoods of South and East Los Angeles.The film was a box office success and... |
Sandman's Woman |
| 2002 | Spider-Man Spider-Man (film) Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp... |
Herself |
| 2003 | Scary Movie 3 Scary Movie 3 Scary Movie 3 is a 2003 American science fiction comedy film, which parodies the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres, directed by David Zucker. It is the third film of the Scary Movie franchise, as well as the first to have no involvement from the Wayans family... |
Herself |
| Gang of Roses | Assassin | |
| 2004 | Lackawanna Blues Lackawanna Blues Lackawanna Blues is an American play written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson in 2001. It was later adapted as a television movie that aired in 2005. The play dramatizes the character of the author's primary caregiver when he was growing up in Lackawanna, New York, during the 1950s and 1960s.-Play:The... |
Pauline |
| Around the World in 80 Days Around the World in 80 Days (2004 film) Around the World in 80 Days is a 2004 American comedy adventure film based on Jules Verne's novel of the same name. It stars Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan and Cécile de France. The film is set in 19th-century Britain and centers on Phileas Fogg , here reimagined as an eccentric inventor, and his... |
Sleepy Frenchwoman | |
| Lightning in a Bottle | Herself | |
| 2005 | The Crow: Wicked Prayer The Crow: Wicked Prayer The Crow: Wicked Prayer is a 2005 American film directed by Lance Mungia and inspired by Norman Partridge's novel of the same title. It is the fourth and final film based on The Crow comic book by James O'Barr. It had a one week theatrical premiere on June 3, 2005 at AMC Pacific Place Theatre in... |
Carman |
| Shadowboxer Shadowboxer Shadowboxer is a 2005 thriller directed by Lee Daniels that stars Academy Award winners Cuba Gooding, Jr., Helen Mirren, and Mo'Nique. It opened in limited release in six cities: New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Richmond, Virginia.-Plot:Mikey and his stepmother... |
Neisha | |
| Domino Domino (film) Domino is a 2005 American action film directed by Tony Scott and written by Richard Kelly. It is inspired by the story of Domino Harvey, the English daughter of stage and screen actor Laurence Harvey, who became a bounty hunter working in Los Angeles. The film stars Keira Knightley as Domino and... |
Lashandra Davis | |
| 2006 | Idlewild Idlewild (film) Idlewild is an American musical film, released August 25, 2006, written and directed by Bryan Barber. The film stars André 3000 and Big Boi of the hip hop duo OutKast, and Idlewild features musical numbers written, produced, and chiefly performed by OutKast... |
Taffy |
| 2010 | For Colored Girls | Rose |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Ally McBeal Ally McBeal Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia... |
Herself | "Hope and Glory" (episode 20, season 3) |
| 2002 | MDs | Jess | "Wing and a Prayer" (episode 7) |
| 2004 | American Dreams American Dreams American Dreams is an American television comedy-drama program broadcast on the NBC television network, produced by Once A Frog and Dick Clark Productions in association with Universal Network Television and NBC Studios... |
Carla Thomas Carla Thomas Carla Thomas is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas.-Childhood:... |
"Real-to-Reel" (episode 12, season 2) |
| That's So Raven That's So Raven That's So Raven is an American cable television teen sitcom/fantasy series. The show premiered on the Disney Channel on January 17, 2003, and ended on November 10, 2007. The show spawned Disney Channel's first spin-off series: Cory in the House... |
Rhonda | "Taken to the Cleaners" (episode 4, season 3) | |
| Blue's Clues Blue's Clues Blue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,... |
Herself | "Bluestock" | |
| 2005 | Duck Dodgers Duck Dodgers (TV series) Duck Dodgers is an American animated television series, based on the classic cartoon short Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 2003 to 2005. The series aired on Cartoon Network and starred Daffy Duck as the titular character... |
Diva (voice) | "Diva Delivery/Castle High" (episode 10, season 2) |
| American Dragon: Jake Long American Dragon: Jake Long American Dragon: Jake Long is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The show had premiered on January 21, 2005 and ended on September 1, 2007. The show currently airs on Disney XD in the United States... |
Trixie's grandmother (voice) |
|
|
| Miss Jenkinks | "Act 4, Scene 15" (episode 5, season 1) | ||
| 1-800-Missing 1-800-Missing Missing is a Canadian-American crime drama television series based on the 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU book series by Meg Cabot... |
Cleo | "A Death in the Family" (episode 13, season 3) | |
| 2007 | Macy Gray's Big Special | Herself | |
| 2009 | Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 9) Dancing with the Stars returned for a ninth season on September 21, 2009, on a three-night premiere. Executive producer Conrad Green confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the 9th season would start off with 16 celebrities, with 3 double-eliminations halfway through the season... |
Herself | Contestant |
Awards and nominations
She won four of sixteen nominations, including Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
and BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
.
|-
| rowspan="9"| 2000
| rowspan="3"| Macy Gray
| BRIT Award for Best International Female
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
||
|-
| BRIT Award for Best International Breakthrough Act
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
||
|-
| Grammy Award for Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
||
|-
| On How Life Is || Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female
The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Album - Female...
||
|-
| rowspan="2"| "Do Something
Do Something (song)
"Do Something" is the lead single from Macy Gray's debut album, On How Life Is . The song samples OutKast's 1994 song "Git Up, Git Out" and Nice & Smooth's 1989 song "Funky for You", and therefore contained no less than seventeen co-writers including Gray herself.In the United Kingdom, "Do...
" || Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
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| MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Choreography in a Video....
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| rowspan="6"| "I Try
I Try
"I Try" is the second single from Macy Gray's debut album On How Life Is, released in North American in January 2000 . It was Gray's biggest hit to date...
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| MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984...
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| MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
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| MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Art Direction in a Video. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the biggest winners in this category with three wins in 1992, 2000, and 2006....
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|rowspan="7"| 2001
| Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
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| Grammy Award for Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
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|Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
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| "Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)" || MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video ||
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| rowspan="3"| "Request Line"
||MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video was first given out at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The award, according to MTV, was originally intended for hip-hop-inspired songs, not necessarily actual hip-hop music videos . This explains the recognition of non-hip-hop songs such as "Thong...
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||Billboard Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year ||
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||Billboard Award for Best Direction in Video ||
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