Natalie Hinds, known by her stage name Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday.
Early Life & Career
Macy Gray was born as Natalie McIntyre in Canton, Ohio in 1967. Her father, Otis Jones, left the family when Gray was a baby. She has a sister and a brother. At age seven, Gray started taking piano lessons. Later on, as a teenager, she attended multiple high schools, one of which she was even asked to leave due to her bad behavior. After graduating from Canton South High School in 1985, Gray enrolled at the University of Southern California, where she studied scriptwriting.
While working as a cashier in Beverly Hills, Gray met writer and producer Joe Solo, with whom she wrote and recorded a collection of songs. Because of the resulting demo tape, Gray was given opportunities to sing at Los Angeles jazz cafes. Subsequently, she was signed by Atlantic Records, but was dropped from the label after the person who had signed her left the company. After returning to Ohio in 1997, she was convinced by the senior vice president of the LA-based Zomba Label Group to return to a career in music. She was then signed to a development deal, and began recording new songs about her life experiences. In 1998, she landed a deal with Epic Records.
Acting Career
Gray has had a significant career on film, appearing in movies such as "Training Day," "Shadowboxer," "Domino," and the 2004 remake of "Around the World in 80 Days." She also had cameos in "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 3," and appeared in the 2005 television-movie adaptation of the play "Lackawanna Blues." In 2006, she portrayed the character of Taffy in the musical film "Idlewild," which featured the music of the group Outkast. Later, after being a contestant on season nine of "Dancing with the Stars," Gray starred in Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls" alongside Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, and others. Subsequent film credits have included "The Paperboy," "Brotherly Love," "Papa," "Cardboard Boxer," and "Change in the Air."
Personal Life
For around four years, Gray was married to mortgage broker Tracy Hinds, but got divorced when her career was in its early stages. Together, they had three children: Mel, Aanisah, and Happy.
Net Worth
Macy Gray is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actress who has a net worth of $12 million. Macy Gray is known for her raspy vocals and Billie Holiday-inspired singing style. She has released numerous studio albums, for which she has received Grammy Award nominations and a win. Gray has also acted in many films, including "Training Day," "Spider-Man," "Lackawanna Blues," and "For Colored Girls."
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