Nona Gaye facts for kids

Nona Aisha Gaye, born on September 4, 1974, is an American singer, a former fashion model, and an actress who is now retired. She is the daughter of the famous singer Marvin Gaye. Her grandfather, Slim Gaillard, was also a talented jazz musician. Nona started her career as a singer in the early 1990s. Later, she became well-known for her acting roles. She played the character Zee in the movies The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003.

Early Life and Dreams

Nona Gaye was born in Washington, D.C.. She spent her first few weeks in the capital city of the United States. Her father was Marvin Gaye, a famous singer from the Motown record label. 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 ended their marriage four years later. Her father passed away in 1984 when Nona was nine years old.

As a child, Nona had many dreams. She wanted to be a ballet dancer and a gymnast. However, when she became a teenager, she decided to follow a career in music.

Nona Gaye's Career

Music Journey

Nona Gaye has shared that artists like Billie Holiday, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Red Hot Chili Peppers inspired 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 a popular song called "I'm Overjoyed." This song reached number 17 on the Hot R&B Singles chart in November 1992.

In 1993, People Magazine named Nona one of the 50 Most Beautiful People. The next year, she signed with Ford Modeling Agency. She also became the 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 worked with and dated the singer-songwriter Prince. During this time, they recorded several songs together. One duet, "Love Sign," was released in 1994 on an album called 1-800-NEW-FUNK. Nona also sang backing vocals for Prince's album The Gold Experience in 1995. She also sang on the title song for the Girl 6 soundtrack in 1996.

Nona also appeared in a TV special produced by Prince. It was called The Beautiful Experience. This show promoted new music from Prince.

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

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

Acting Roles

Nona Gaye started her acting career in 2001. Her first role was in Michael Mann's movie Ali. She played Belinda Ali. Film critics praised her performance. Some even called her "startlingly good" in the role.

The next year, Nona took on a big role. She replaced actress Aaliyah in The Matrix sequels. Aaliyah had sadly passed away in a plane crash. Nona played the character of Zee, who was married to Harold Perrineau's character, Link. Nona was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role in The Matrix Revolutions.

In 2004, Nona provided the voice for the Hero Girl in the animated movie The Polar Express. She also played Charlene Frank in the movie The Gospel (2005). Nona appeared in the movie Crash (2004). She also 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 joined the cast of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She was set to play a new Assistant District Attorney. However, she left the show before filming began. She mentioned "creative differences" as the reason for her departure.

Filmography

Film

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

• Black Reel Awards
  • 2002, Best Supporting Actress: Ali (Winner)
  • 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