Macy Gray Biography

Macy Gray was born in 1967 in Canton, Ohio. While still in college, Macy began writing songs for a friend of hers, who needed music for a singer scheduled to record a demo. But when the singer didn’t show, Macy sang them herself, drawing attention to her then untapped talents as a vocalist. Alongside producer Joe Solo, Macy Gray began writing songs and recording them, and within a short time, Gray had an offer from Atlantic Records for a contract.

The recording contract was short-lived, but Macy Gray quickly attracted the attention of Epic Records instead, and by 1999, she was ready to release her debut album. On the strength of the second single, “I Try,” On How Life Is went on to become a hit around the globe, going triple platinum in the United States and earning Gray a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The single was also nominated for Record and Song of the Year, and established Macy Gray as a superstar. A string of successful albums followed:  The Id (2001), The Trouble with Being Myself (2003), Big (2007), The Sellout (2010), and Covered (2012), featuring the singles “When I See You,” “Finally Made Me Happy,” “Shoo Be Doo,” “What I Gotta Do,” “Beauty in the World,” “Lately,” and “Here comes the Rain Again.” She also released the compilation and live albums The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004) and Live in Las Vegas (2005.)

In addition to her contributions to music, Macy Gray has also appeared on a number of television shows and in a few films, including: Ally McBeal (2000), Training Day (2001), Spider-Man (2002), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Gang of Roses (2003), Around the World in 80 Days (2004), American Dreams (2004), That’s So Raven (2004), Shadowboxer (2005), Domino (2005), Idlewild (2006), Head Case (2009), For Colored Girls (2010), Percentage (2012), and the Paperboy (2012.)

Thus far, Macy Gray has garnered five awards and accumulated a total of seventeen nominations for Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, and BRIT Awards. She continues to write, record, tour, and perform.