Nona Gaye facts for kids

Nona Aisha Gaye, born on September 4, 1974, is an American singer, songwriter, and former actress. She is the daughter of famous singer Marvin Gaye. Her grandfather was jazz musician Slim Gaillard. Nona Gaye started her music career in the early 1990s. She is also known for playing the character Zee in the movies The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003.

Early Life and Family

Nona Gaye was born in Washington, D.C.. Her father was Marvin Gaye, a famous Motown singer. Her mother, Janis Hunter, helped manage Nona's music career. Nona grew up in Redondo Beach, California.

Nona's parents got married in 1977. They later divorced four years later. Nona was nine years old when her father passed away in 1984. As a child, Nona Gaye dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer or a gymnast. However, she later decided to pursue a career in music when she was a teenager.

Nona Gaye's Music Career

Nona Gaye has mentioned that artists like Billie Holiday, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Red Hot Chili Peppers influenced her music. Her first album, Love for the Future, was released in October 1992. This was just one month after her eighteenth birthday.

The album included the popular song "I'm Overjoyed." This song reached number 17 on the Hot R&B Singles chart in November 1992. Another single from the album was "The Things That We All Do for Love."

In 1993, People Magazine named Nona Gaye one of the 50 Most Beautiful People. She also signed with Ford Modeling Agency in 1994. She became a new face for the fashion brand Armani. In 1995, Nona sang the main song on a tribute album for her father. The album was called Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye.

For three years, Nona Gaye worked with and dated singer-songwriter Prince. They recorded several songs together. A duet called "Love Sign" was released in 1994 on the 1-800-NEW-FUNK album. Nona also sang backing vocals on Prince's 1995 album The Gold Experience. She also sang on the title track for the Girl 6 soundtrack in 1996.

In 2001, Nona Gaye joined other artists to re-record her father's song "What's Going On." This was done to raise money for AIDS research. She also appeared in the music video for Luther Vandross' 2003 song "Dance with My Father." She and other celebrities filled in for Vandross, who was unwell at the time.

In 2008, Nona Gaye released an EP (Extended Play) called Language of Love. It included songs like "Quarter to Three" and "Midas Lover."

Nona Gaye's Acting Career

Nona Gaye started her acting career in 2001. Her first role was as Belinda Ali in Michael Mann's movie Ali. Film reviewers praised her performance in this role.

The next year, Nona Gaye took over the role of Zee in The Matrix sequels. She replaced actress Aaliyah, who had passed away. Zee was the wife of Harold Perrineau's character, Link. Nona Gaye was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role as Zee in The Matrix Revolutions.

In 2004, she provided the voice for the Hero Girl in the animated movie The Polar Express. Nona Gaye also played Charlene Frank in the 2005 movie The Gospel. She appeared in Crash (2004) and played Lola in XXX: State of the Union (2005). Lola was an ex-girlfriend of Ice Cube's character in the film.

In 2006, Nona Gaye joined the cast of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She was meant to replace Courtney B. Vance as the new Assistant District Attorney. However, she left the show before filming much, due to creative differences.

Filmography

Movies

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

• Black Reel Awards
  • 2002, Best Supporting Actress: Ali (Won)
  • 2006, Best Actress: The Gospel (Nominated)
• Image Awards
  • 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: The Matrix Revolutions (Nominated)

Discography

Albums

• Love for the Future (Third Stone/Atlantic, 1992)
• Language of Love (AmieStreet.com, 2008)

Singles

• "I'm Overjoyed" (Third Stone/Atlantic, 1992)
• "The Things That We All Do for Love" (Third Stone/Atlantic, 1993)
• "Love Sign" duet with Prince (NPG, 1994)

See also

In Spanish: Nona Gaye para niños