Macy Gray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Macy Gray
Gray in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Natalie Renée McIntyre
Born	(1967-09-06) September 6, 1967 (age 57) Canton, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	R&B neo soul jazz
Occupations	Singer actress
Years active	1990s–present
Labels	Atlantic NuTech Digital Epic will.i.am Geffen Concord 429 Chesky E1 Mack Avenue Records

Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known as Macy Gray, is an American singer and actress. She is famous for her unique, raspy voice. Her singing style is often compared to the legendary Billie Holiday.

Macy Gray has released ten studio albums. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and won one! You might have seen her in movies like Training Day and Spider-Man. She is best known for her worldwide hit song "I Try". This song came from her very successful first album, On How Life Is. In 2014, Macy Gray was honored in the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in her hometown of Canton, Ohio.

Early Life and Stage Name

Natalie McIntyre was born in Canton, Ohio. Her mother was a math teacher, and her stepfather worked with steel. She has a sister who teaches biology and a younger brother, Nate.

Natalie started piano lessons when she was seven. One day, after a bike accident, she saw a mailbox with the name "Macy Gray". She liked the name so much that she started using it in her stories. Later, she decided it would be her stage name as a singer!

She went to different high schools, including a boarding school. After high school, she studied scriptwriting at the University of Southern California.

Macy Gray's Music Journey

Gray in 1995

While at university, Macy Gray agreed to write songs for a friend. A recording session was planned for another singer, but that singer didn't show up. So, Macy Gray recorded the songs herself!

She later met a writer and producer named Joe Solo. They wrote many songs together and recorded them in his studio. These recordings helped Macy Gray get gigs singing at jazz cafés in Los Angeles. Even though she thought her voice was unusual, Atlantic Records signed her. She started working on her first album.

After some changes at the record label, Macy Gray returned to Ohio. But in 1997, a music executive named Jeff Blue convinced her to come back to music. She signed a new deal with Epic Records in 1998. She also sang on a song called "Love Won't Wait" for the Black Eyed Peas' first album.

1999–2001: On How Life Is Album Success

Macy Gray released her first album, On How Life Is, in 1999. It became a huge hit all over the world. The first song, "Do Something", didn't do very well. But the second song, "I Try", made the album super popular! "I Try" was one of the biggest songs of 1999. Other songs like "Still" and "Why Didn't You Call Me" also did well. The album sold millions of copies in the US and UK.

In 2001, Macy Gray won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Try". The song was also nominated for "song of the year" and "record of the year". She then worked with other artists like Fatboy Slim and the Black Eyed Peas. She also started acting, appearing in the movie Training Day.

2001–2005: New Albums and Collaborations

Gray visiting the Astrodome as a volunteer, in Houston, Texas, September 3, 2005

Macy Gray's second album, The Id, came out in 2001. It featured other famous musicians like John Frusciante and Erykah Badu. The album reached number eleven on the Billboard charts in the US. It did even better in the UK, reaching number one!

In 2002, she appeared in the movie Spider-Man. She also worked with Carlos Santana on a song for his album Shaman. Macy Gray also sang on a tribute album for the Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.

Her song "Time of My Life" was part of the soundtrack for the movie 8 Mile. In 2003, Macy Gray released her third album, The Trouble with Being Myself. The main song, "When I See You", was a radio hit. Later, she released a collection of her best songs called The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004) and a live album. She also sang on a cover of Prince's song "Girls & Boys".

2007–2010: Return to Music with Big

Gray performing in Toronto, July 23, 2008

In 2007, Macy Gray released her fourth studio album, Big. This album was seen as her comeback after a few years. It included songs like "Finally Made Me Happy" and "Shoo Be Doo". Another song, "What I Gotta Do", was on the Shrek the Third soundtrack.

Big received good reviews and featured collaborations with Natalie Cole, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, and will.i.am. The album did well in the US, reaching number 39 on the Billboard 200. It also found success in other countries like Switzerland and Finland.

Macy Gray also performed at the Live Earth concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007.

2010–2011: The Sellout Album

The first song from Macy Gray's fifth album, The Sellout, was "Beauty in the World". This song was featured in the TV show Ugly Betty. It was also used by Microsoft to promote Internet Explorer 9. Both "Beauty in the World" and "Lately" became top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs Chart.

Music critics had mixed feelings about The Sellout. Some praised its production, while others had different opinions.

2011–2015: Covers and Tributes

Gray performs live at the 54th Ljubljana Jazz Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on July 6, 2013.

In 2011, Macy Gray signed with 429 Records. She then started recording an album of cover songs called Covered, which was released in 2012. The first song from this album was "Here Comes the Rain Again", originally by Eurythmics.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stevie Wonder's 1972 album Talking Book, Macy Gray recorded her own version of the entire album as a tribute.

2016–Present: Recent Albums

In 2016, Macy Gray released Stripped, an album produced by Chesky Records. This album was highly praised by critics and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Jazz Chart. That same year, she was featured on Ariana Grande's song "Leave Me Lonely".

Macy Gray's tenth studio album, Ruby, came out in September 2018.

Other Projects and Appearances

In 2001, Macy Gray lent her voice to the character Seeiah Owens in the video game SSX Tricky. She also sang the theme song for the Nickelodeon cartoon As Told by Ginger.

She has appeared on various TV shows. In 2006, she played in Celebrity Poker Showdown for charity. In 2009, she briefly competed on Dancing with the Stars.

Macy Gray has also collaborated with other artists. In 2009, she worked with Australian DJ Kaz James on the song "Can't Hold Back". In 2015, she was featured on the song "Into the Deep" by Galactic. In 2018, she sang with Dolly Parton on a new version of "Two Doors Down" for the Dumplin' movie soundtrack. In 2020, she was featured on "Out Of Love" by the band Busty and the Bass.

Macy Gray has also been a contestant on The Masked Singer in Australia (as "Atlantis" in 2021) and in the US (as "Sea Queen" in 2023). In 2022, she performed the American national anthem at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. She also represented her home state of Ohio in the American Song Contest with her song "Every Night".

Personal Life

Macy Gray was married to Tracey Hinds, and they have three children together. In 2005, she opened the Macy Gray Music Academy.

Macy Gray's Albums

Studio albums

• On How Life Is (1999)
• The Id (2001)
• The Trouble with Being Myself (2003)
• Big (2007)
• The Sellout (2010)
• Covered (2012)
• Talking Book (2012)
• The Way (2014)
• Stripped (2016)
• Ruby (2018)

Macy Gray in Movies

Macy Gray on Television

Macy Gray in Video Games

Macy Gray in Documentaries

Awards and Nominations

Macy Gray has won many awards! She has won five awards out of seventeen nominations. These include Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and Brit Awards.

See also

In Spanish: Macy Gray para niños