Nicole Wray facts for kids

Nicole Monique Wray (born May 2, 1979), also known as Lady Wray, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She is known for her soulful voice.

In June 1998, Nicole Wray released her first song, "Make It Hot". This song became very popular, reaching the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It quickly sold many copies and was certified gold. Her first album, also called Make It Hot, came out in August 1998.

Later, she sang on Missy Elliott's song "All N My Grill" in 1999. This song also did very well. Nicole Wray left her first record label in 2001. She then signed with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2003, becoming the first female R&B artist there. She released a song called "If I Was Girlfriend."

In 2012, she formed a music group called Lady with Terri Walker. They released their first album in March 2013. In 2016, Nicole Wray started using the stage name Lady Wray. She released her second album, Queen Alone, that year. Her third album, Piece of Me, came out in 2022. It reached number 7 on the UK R&B Albums chart.

About Nicole Wray

Nicole Monique Wray was born in Salinas, California. Her parents are Debra Wray and Kenneth Wray. She has an older brother, Kenny, who is also a singer. She also has a younger sister named Myrtis. When she was young, Nicole moved to Portsmouth, Virginia. She was a talented singer in her church choir. She also took part in local fashion shows.

As a teenager, Nicole met the rapper Missy Elliott. Missy Elliott was looking for a female singer for her new record label, The Goldmind Inc.. Nicole impressed Missy by singing SWV's song "Weak." She became the first artist to sign with Missy Elliott's label.

Her Music Journey

Early Career and First Album

In 1997, Nicole Wray sang on the song "Gettaway" for Missy Elliott's first album, Supa Dupa Fly. In June 1998, Nicole released her first song, "Make It Hot". This song was a big hit. It reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold over 700,000 copies and was certified gold in just six weeks.

On August 25, 1998, Nicole Wray released her first album, Make It Hot. The album did well, reaching number forty-two on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. After her album came out, Nicole toured with Missy Elliott. She sang as an opening act and also as a background vocalist. Her next songs, "I Can't See" and "Eyes Better Not Wander," were not as successful.

In September 1999, Missy Elliott released her song "All n My Grill." This song featured Nicole Wray, Big Boi, and MC Solaar. It was very popular in Europe.

New Music and New Labels

In 2000, Nicole Wray started working on her second album, Elektric Blue. In July 2001, she released a song called "I'm Lookin'." This was meant to be the main song from the new album. However, the album's release date was changed many times. In 2001, Nicole decided to leave The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records. Her album Elektric Blue was never officially released. In 2002, Nicole wrote a gospel and pop song called "Don't Have To." This song was released by the gospel duo Pam & Dodi.

In June 2003, Nicole Wray released a song called "Welcome Home" with rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard. Later that year, she signed a new record deal with Roc-A-Fella Records. In November 2004, Nicole released "If I Was Your Girlfriend." This song was planned to be the main song from her album Lovechild. The song stayed on the R&B chart for twenty weeks.

Her album Lovechild was supposed to be released in April 2005. However, it was also never officially released. During this time, Nicole Wray appeared in the movie State Property 2.

In July 2005, Nicole Wray and Mike Jones released a remix of "Still Tippin' (It's a Man's World)". This song was on the soundtrack for the movie Hustle & Flow. Nicole also sang on The Black Keys' album Blakroc in November 2009. She also provided background vocals for The Black Keys' album, Brothers, which came out in May 2010.

In June 2010, Nicole Wray released Boss Chick. This album included songs she had recorded years before but had not released. A song called "I Like It" was released from this album. In 2011, Nicole Wray and 7 Aurelius released a collection of songs called Dream Factory Sessions. These were unreleased songs from 2004.

Forming Lady and Solo Success

In 2012, Nicole Wray formed a soul music duo called Lady with Terri Walker. They met in 2009. Lady sang background vocals for the soul singer Lee Fields during his tour in 2012. While on tour, Lady recorded their first album. It was released in March 2013. The album included three songs: "Money," "Get Ready," and "Good Lovin'." The album was inspired by soul music from the 1960s and 1970s. It was a success and allowed the duo to have their own concert tour.

During their tour, Terri Walker left the group to focus on her solo career. Nicole Wray then renamed the group "Lady, the Band." She continued the tour with two new background singers. After moving to a new record label, Nicole Wray started using the stage name Lady Wray.

Lady Wray's Albums and Tours

In June 2016, Lady Wray released "Do It Again." This was the first song from her second album, Queen Alone. In July 2016, she released another song called "Guilty." This song was inspired by her brother. In September 2016, Lady Wray released her second album, Queen Alone. The album had a similar soul sound to her earlier work with Lady. She continued to promote the album with songs like "Smiling" and "Underneath My Feet."

In 2019, Lady Wray released two songs: "Piece of Me" and "Come On In." The next year, she released "Storms." In 2021, she released "Games People Play." Later that year, she released two more songs: "Under the Sun" and "Through It All." Her third solo album, Piece of Me, was released on January 28, 2022. This album reached number 7 on the UK R&B Albums chart. After the album came out, she went on her first solo tour called the Piece of Me Tour in 2022. In 2023, she toured in Europe with Brainstory.

In June 2025, Lady Wray announced her fourth album, Cover Girl. The album's first song, "You're Gonna Win," was released on June 23, 2025. In July 2025, she started her Cover Girl EU/UK Tour. The album Cover Girl is set to be released on September 26, 2025.

Personal Life

In June 2018, Nicole Wray became a mother to her daughter, Melody Bacote. In April 2020, Nicole Wray married musician Dante Bacote.

Discography

• Make It Hot (1998)
• Queen Alone (2016)
• Piece of Me (2022)

Filmography

Films

• State Property 2 (2005)

Television

• The Wayans Bros. (1998)

See also

In Spanish: Nicole Wray para niños