Judith Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Judith Hill
Hill performing at the 2011 International Women of Courage ceremony
Background information
Birth name	Judith Glory Hill
Born	(1984-05-06) May 6, 1984 (age 41) Los Angeles, California
Genres	Pop, soul, Contemporary R&B, neo-soul, funk, jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, composer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, guitar, bass
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Sony Music NPG
Associated acts	Michael Jackson, Josh Groban, Prince

Judith Glory Hill (born May 6, 1984) is an American singer and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She is known for her powerful voice and for working with some of the biggest names in music.

Judith has sung backup for famous artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Josh Groban. In 2009, she was chosen to sing a duet with Michael Jackson for his This Is It concerts. After Jackson's death, she sang "Heal the World" at his memorial service, which brought her a lot of attention worldwide.

Her journey is also shown in the documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom. This movie tells the amazing stories of backup singers who work with music legends. Judith won a Grammy Award for Best Music Film for her part in this film.

In 2013, Judith became a contestant on the TV show The Voice. She also toured with Josh Groban and John Legend. Her first album, Back in Time, was co-produced by Prince.

Life and Music Career

Judith Hill's mother, Michiko Hill, is a pianist from Tokyo, Japan. Her father, Robert Lee "Pee Wee" Hill, is an African-American musician. They met in a funk band in the 1970s. Judith can speak and sing in both English and Japanese. She also knows French and Spanish.

After studying music composition at Biola University, Judith went to France in 2007. There, she performed with French singer Michel Polnareff. When she came back to the United States, she started her career as a singer-songwriter.

Many people describe Judith's voice as unique and soulful. She can sing different styles of music, from R&B and funk to jazz and gospel.

Judith has sung backup or choir for many artists. These include Josh Groban, Carole King, and Robbie Williams. She has also been a featured singer on albums by George Benson and Steve Tyrell. Her voice can also be heard on movie soundtracks like Dr. Seuss' The Lorax and Happy Feet Two.

One of her original songs, "Desperation," was featured in the 2012 Spike Lee film Red Hook Summer. Spike Lee called her a "phenomenal talent." In 2013, Judith signed a record deal with Sony Music.

She has continued to work with famous musicians. In 2020, she was a featured singer on Gerard Way's song "Here Comes the End." In 2023, she sang on Eric Clapton's single "How Could We Know." In 2024, she joined The Revolution, Prince's former band, to celebrate 40 years of Purple Rain. She sang "The Beautiful Ones" and amazed the audience.

Solo Recording Career

Judith Hill's first solo album, Back In Time, came out in 2015. She wrote all 11 songs on the album. Prince produced the album. It was offered as a free download and was downloaded 50,000 times on its first day.

Her 2021 album, Baby, I'm Hollywood!, received great reviews. On September 15, 2023, she released "Runaway Train." This was the first song from her album Letters from a Black Widow, which came out in April 2024.

Working with Michael Jackson

In 2009, Judith was chosen to sing duets with Michael Jackson for his This Is It concerts. She practiced with him for months. Sadly, Michael Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009, and the concerts were canceled.

Judith performed at Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009. She sang the lead on "Heal the World." This was a very emotional moment during the service and brought her worldwide attention.

She also released a song called "I Will Always Be Missing You." It was a tribute to Michael Jackson. The money from this song went to Childhelp US, a charity that helps children.

Her Time on The Voice

Judith Hill tried out for the fourth season of The Voice in 2013. In her first audition, she sang "What a Girl Wants." All four judges, Adam Levine, Shakira, Usher, and Blake Shelton, wanted her on their team. She chose to join Team Adam. Adam Levine said she would be a "Grammy-winning superstar."

During the show, Judith sang many amazing songs. She won her "Battle Round" and "Knockout Round" performances. She was considered one of the favorites to win. However, she was eliminated after her Top 8 performance. Many people were surprised by this, as she had such a strong voice.

Performances on The Voice:

     – Studio version of performance reached the top 10 on iTunes

20 Feet from Stardom Documentary

Judith Hill and other backup singers are featured in the documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom. This movie came out in 2013. It won an Oscar and a Critics Choice Award for best documentary. Judith also won a Black Reel Award for her song "Desperation" from the film. The movie also won a Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2015.

Collaborating with Josh Groban

Judith Hill sang backup on three songs for Josh Groban's album All That Echoes. She also opened for him on his "All That Echoes World Tour" in 2013. She performed two duets with him during his shows: "The Prayer" and "Remember When It Rained." The song "Remember When It Rained" was released as a single.

Touring with John Legend

Judith Hill was the opening act for John Legend on his UK tour in the fall of 2014.

Working with Prince

On March 22, 2015, Prince invited people to hear Judith Hill's first album at his studio, Paisley Park. Judith recorded her album, Back in Time, with Prince as the producer. Prince said it was the fastest album he had ever made. Prince found out about Judith when he saw her in an interview. She mentioned she wanted to work with him, and he decided to produce her album.

Discography

Studio albums

• 2015: Back in Time
• 2018: Golden Child
• 2019: Studio Live Session
• 2021: Baby, I'm Hollywood!
• 2024: Letters from a Black Widow

Singles

• 2009: "I Will Always Be Missing You"
• 2013: "Desperation"
• 2014: "Remember When It Rained" Duet with Josh Groban
• 2014: "Party Rockers" on Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's album Life in the Bubble
• 2015: "Cry Cry Cry" from the Back in Time album
• 2018: "Abracadabra"
• 2019: "Upside"
• 2020: "Here Comes the End" with Gerard Way
• 2023: "Runaway Train"
• 2024: "Flame"
• 2024: "Dame De La Lumière"
• 2024: "Black Widow"

Soundtracks

• 2012: Red Hook Summer (Songs from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Filmography

Awards

• 2014 Black Reel Award – Outstanding Original Song, "Desperation", Twenty Feet from Stardom
• 2015 57th Annual Grammy Awards – Grammy Award for Best Music Film
• 2016 Nominated for NAACP Award Outstanding New Artist