Rozonda Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rozonda Thomas
Thomas in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Rozonda Ocielian Thomas
Also known as	Chilli
Born	(1971-02-27) February 27, 1971 (age 54) Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop hip hop soul new jack swing funk
Occupation(s)	Singer actress television personality
Years active	1991–present
Labels	LaFace Arista Epic

Rozonda Ocielian Thomas (born February 27, 1971) is an American singer and actress. She is also known by her stage name Chilli. She is a member of the famous music group TLC. TLC became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 1990s.

Early Life and Family

Rozonda Thomas was born in Columbus, Georgia. She finished high school in 1989. Her father, Abdul Ali, has Bangladeshi and Arab roots. Her mother, Ava Thomas, is African American. Rozonda was raised by her mother. In 1996, when she was 25, she met her father for the first time. This meeting was shown on the Sally Jessy Raphael TV show. When she was a child, her great-grandmother, whom she called Big Mama, took her to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Music Career Highlights

TLC: A Top Girl Group

Before joining TLC, Thomas was a dancer for Damian Dame. In 1991, she became a member of TLC. She took the place of Crystal Jones, a founding member. Lisa Lopes gave her the nickname "Chilli." This helped the group keep its name, TLC. The group sold over 65 million records around the world. They became the best-selling American girl group ever. Only the Spice Girls sold more records globally. Chilli has won four Grammy Awards for her music with TLC.

In 1995, Thomas and TLC sang on the song "Freedom (Theme from Panther)". This song was part of the soundtrack for the movie Panther. Other groups like SWV and En Vogue were also on the track.

After group member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes passed away in 2002, Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins continued to perform. They sometimes performed as a duo. In 2009, Thomas and Watkins had many concerts in Asia.

In 2011, VH1 announced they would make a movie about TLC. The movie was released in 2013. Thomas and Watkins helped produce the film. Actress Keke Palmer played Rozonda Thomas in CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. In 2019, Chilli lost her voice and doctors told her not to sing. Because of this, TLC had to cancel some concerts.

Chilli's Solo Music

Thomas performing as a part of TLC in 2016

Thomas started working on her own album in 2000. This was after TLC's album FanMail (1999) was promoted. She paused her solo work to focus on the next TLC album, 3D (2002). In 2006, it was reported she signed with Akon's record label, Konvict Muzik. Her first solo album was planned for the next year, but it was not released.

In April 2008, Thomas released her first official solo song, "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb." In 2012, she sang a song called "Flirt." This song was featured on the TV show Single Ladies. In January 2016, she released another song called "Body." This song helped promote her fitness workout program.

Acting and Television Appearances

Thomas has appeared on many TV shows. These include The Parkers, That 70s Show, and Living Single. In 1992, she had a small role in the music video for "Jump" by Kris Kross. In 2000, she was in TV movies like A Diva's Christmas Carol and Love Song. She also appeared in the film Snow Day. In 2001, she co-starred in the action movie Ticker. She also had small parts in House Party 3 and Hav Plenty.

In 2005, Thomas and Watkins searched for a new TLC member. This search was part of their reality TV show R U The Girl. In 2009, VH1 announced a new reality series starring Thomas. The show, What Chilli Wants, started in April 2010. It showed Thomas looking for love and managing her life. She got help from a relationship expert named Tionna Tee Smalls. The second season of What Chilli Wants began in January 2011.

In 2013, Thomas joined "Team Guy" on the cooking show Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. She also appeared on an episode of WWE Countdown. There, she talked about The Rock. Later, Thomas was a judge on the truTV reality show Fake Off. This show premiered in October 2014. In 2017, she played Zora Neale Hurston in the movie Marshall. This film was about the life of Thurgood Marshall.

Personal Life and Projects

Thomas had a relationship with producer Dallas Austin. They have a son named Tron Austin, born in 1997. In 2001, Thomas started dating singer Usher. She appeared in his music videos for "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". Their relationship ended in 2003. In late 2022, Thomas began dating actor Matthew Lawrence. They shared their relationship publicly in January 2023. She is a member of the Granite Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In 2003, Thomas and Watkins worked with Agouron Pharmaceuticals. They created a program to teach people about HIV/AIDS. This program gave information about preventing and treating HIV/AIDS. In 2012, Thomas started a non-profit organization called Chilli's Crew. This program is based in Atlanta. It helps girls aged 13 to 17 build strong self-esteem.

Discography

Singles

• "Dumb Dumb Dumb" (2008)
• "Body" (2016)

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Rozonda Thomas para niños