Blu Cantrell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blu Cantrell
Cantrell in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Tiffany Cobb
Born	(1976-03-16) March 16, 1976 (age 49) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	R&B soul
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Arista

Tiffany Cobb (born March 16, 1976), known as Blu Cantrell, is an American R&B singer. She became famous in 2001 with her first song, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)". This song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 2002, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" earned Blu Cantrell a Grammy Award nomination. Her second album, Bittersweet, came out in 2003. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award. This album included the popular song "Breathe", which featured Sean Paul. "Breathe" was a huge hit around the world, especially in the United Kingdom. It was number one on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks.

Early Life and Family

Blu Cantrell was born Tiffany Cobb in Providence, Rhode Island. Her mother, Susi Franco, was a former beauty queen. She was also an actress and a jazz singer. Blu Cantrell has African-American, German, and Italian family roots.

Her parents separated when she was young. Blu Cantrell and her five brothers and sisters were raised by their mother. Her siblings are Adam, Tino, Nick, Kelli, and Summer.

Music Career Journey

Starting in Music

In the late 1990s, Blu Cantrell began her music career. She worked as a professional background singer for artists like Sean "Puffy" Combs. In 1999, she joined a girl group called 8th Avenue. This group was supported by singer Teddy Riley.

The group recorded several songs. They also appeared on Blackstreet's 1999 album Finally. However, their music was not released after Teddy Riley left Blackstreet. Soon after, 8th Avenue broke up.

Later, Blu Cantrell met music producer Tricky Stewart. He was the head of Red Zone Entertainment. Stewart first wanted Cantrell to join his girl group, 321. But after a successful recording session, he decided to help her start a solo career.

Cantrell then moved to Atlanta and signed with Arista Records. This happened after she sang one of her songs for the label's head, Antonio "L.A." Reid.

First Albums: So Blu and Bittersweet

After signing with Arista, Blu Cantrell began recording her first album. She worked with producers like Dallas Austin and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In July 2001, her first album, So Blu, was released.

The album received good reviews from music critics. It was also a commercial success, especially in North America. It reached number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album was certified gold in the US and Canada.

The main song from the album, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)", was a big hit. It reached the top ten in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. This song earned Cantrell two Grammy Award nominations in 2002. She was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

In 2002, Blu Cantrell also had a small role in the movie Drumline. She sang the American national anthem in the film. Her song "It's Killing Me (In My Mind)" was also on the soundtrack for the movie Bad Company.

In 2003, Cantrell released her second album, Bittersweet. This album also received positive reviews. It was nominated for a Best R&B Album in 2004.

While it was less successful in the US, Bittersweet was a big hit internationally. This was thanks to its popular song "Breathe", which featured Sean Paul. "Breathe" became her highest-charting song. It topped the charts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It also reached the top ten in many other countries. After "Breathe," she released another song called "Make Me Wanna Scream".

Recent Years

Cantrell in 2007

Around 2005, Blu Cantrell decided to leave Arista Records. She then started touring a lot on her own. She also acted in a musical stage play called Gossip, Lies and Secrets in 2007.

The next year, she appeared on NBC's Celebrity Circus. She was the first celebrity to be eliminated from the show.

In 2013, Blu Cantrell shared that she was working on her third album independently. She confirmed in 2016 that she was still creating new music. Even though she hasn't had a big hit in the US since her early success, Blu Cantrell continues to perform. She often performs in Australia and Europe.

Discography

• So Blu (2001)
• Bittersweet (2003)

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

American Music Awards

Grammy Awards

See also

In Spanish: Blu Cantrell para niños