Marc Nelson (singer) facts for kids

Marc Nelson is an American singer and songwriter. He was born on January 23, 1971. Marc was one of the first members of the famous music group Boyz II Men. He was still in high school when he joined them.

However, Marc had to leave the group before they released their first album. This happened because of an agreement he had with a different music company. He then started his own solo music career.

Marc Nelson and Boyz II Men

The group Boyz II Men got their name from a song by another group called New Edition. In 1989, Boyz II Men met Michael Bivins. He helped them get a record deal and start recording music.

Before meeting Bivins, the group had signed a deal with a local company in Philadelphia. Marc Nelson was 18 years old at the time. It was hard for him to get out of this contract because of his age. The other members were younger, so their contracts were easier to change.

Even after Boyz II Men signed with Motown Records, Marc could not be released from his old management. This meant he had to choose between staying with the group or starting a solo career. He chose to go solo. His first solo album, I Want You, came out in September 1991. This was just a few months after Boyz II Men released their first album.

Marc Nelson's Music Journey

His First Solo Album: I Want You

After signing with Capitol Records, Marc Nelson released his first solo album, I Want You, in 1991. He had a hit song with a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You". This song reached number 26 on the R&B music charts. His next song, "Count On Me", also did well, reaching number 48 on the R&B charts.

After his first album, Marc started focusing on writing songs for other artists. He caught the attention of famous musician Babyface. Marc wrote songs for popular singers like Toni Braxton, Brandy, Tamia, Tyrese, and Jon B. Through Babyface, Marc met the members of the group Az Yet. He joined them as a lead singer, and they signed with LaFace Records.

Success with Az Yet

Marc Nelson found a lot of success as a member of Az Yet. Their first album, released in 1996, sold over a million copies, earning a "platinum" award. One song from the album, "Last Night", sold over 500,000 copies, earning a "gold" award. It also reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their second song, "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", was even more popular. It sold over a million copies and reached number 8 on the Hot 100 chart.

Chocolate Mood and More Hits

Marc Nelson later left Az Yet and spent a lot of time writing new songs. In 1999, he released his second solo album, Chocolate Mood. This album included his biggest solo hit, "15 Minutes". This song reached number 4 on the R&B charts and number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Marc also sang a duet with Beyoncé called "After All is Said and Done". This song was on the soundtrack for the movie The Best Man (1999).

In 2007, Marc was honored by SESAC, a music rights organization. He was recognized for writing the song "It's On Tonight" for jazz artist Brian Culbertson. This song was one of the top 5 jazz songs of 2006.

Marc: My Words

On July 24, 2007, Marc Nelson released his first independent album, Marc: My Words. This means he released it himself, without a major record label. Marc wrote or helped write all 15 songs on the album. He also helped produce all the songs. The songs on the album were written between 2001 and 2007. The album includes the original version of "I Don't Wanna Be In Love," which he co-wrote with Brian Culbertson.

Blayse and Other Projects

Marc Nelson was also a founding member of another R&B group called Blayse. This group included other experienced R&B singers like Tony Grant from Az Yet, Gary "Lil G" Jenkins from Silk (group), and Terrell Phillips from Blackstreet. They recorded several songs, but their album was never finished, and the group broke up in December 2007.

Marc Nelson continued to release new music. On July 24, 2017, he released the R&B/Soul song "Wishing You The Worst." He released this song independently through his own company, Focused Artist Entertainment.

Marc was also nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for writing the theme song for the 2016 animated Christmas TV movie Snowy Day. The song was performed by his former group, Boyz II Men.

Marc Nelson's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Songs Marc Contributed To

Singles (Popular Songs)

• "I Want You" (1991)
• "Count on Me" (1992)
• "Last Night" with Az Yet (1996)
• "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" with Az Yet & featuring Peter Cetera (1996)
• "That's All I Want" with Az Yet (1997)
• "15 Minutes" (1999)
• "Too Friendly" (2000)
• "Love's Not Love" (2000)
• "Wishing You The Worst" (2017)

Stage Plays

Marc Nelson has also performed in several stage plays:

• Love Ain't Supposed to Hurt - Part II: The Wedding
• Tell Hell I Ain't Coming
• King Solomon Lives
• Men Cry in the Dark
• In-Laws From Hell

See also

In Spanish: Marc Nelson para niños