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), known as Chilli, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is a member of the famous music group TLC. TLC is one of the best-selling girl groups ever.

Early Life and Family

Rozonda Thomas was born in Columbus, Georgia. She finished high school in 1989. Her father, Abdul Ali, has Indian and Arab roots. Her mother, Ava Thomas, is African American and Native American.

Rozonda was raised by her mother. In 1996, when she was 25, she met her father for the first time. This meeting was even shown on a TV talk show. When she was a child, her great-grandmother, whom she called Big Mama, took her to church.

Music Career Highlights

Becoming a Star with TLC

Rozonda first worked as a dancer for another artist. In 1991, she joined the group TLC. She replaced an earlier member, Crystal Jones. Lisa Lopes, another member, gave her the nickname "Chilli." This helped the group keep its name, TLC.

TLC became incredibly popular. They sold over 65 million records around the world. They are the best-selling American girl group of all time. Only the Spice Girls have sold more records globally. Chilli has won four Grammy Awards for her music with TLC.

After Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes passed away in 2002, Chilli and T-Boz continued to perform. They often sang together as a duo. In 2009, they performed many concerts in Asia.

In 2011, VH1 announced a movie about TLC. Chilli and T-Boz helped produce this film. The movie, called CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, came out in 2013. Actress Keke Palmer played Chilli in the film.

In 2019, Chilli had a problem with her voice. Doctors told her not to sing for a while. Because of this, TLC had to cancel some shows.

Chilli's Solo Music

Chilli performing with TLC in 2016

Chilli started working on her own music in 2000. This was after TLC's album FanMail was released. She paused her solo work to focus on TLC's next album, 3D.

In 2008, Chilli released her first official solo song. It was called "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb." She also performed a song called "Flirt" in 2012. This song was part of a TV show called Single Ladies. In January 2016, she released another song, "Body." This song helped promote her fitness workout campaign.

Acting and TV Appearances

Chilli has appeared in many TV shows. These include The Parkers, That 70s Show, and Living Single. In 1992, she had a small part in the music video for "Jump" by Kris Kross.

She also acted in TV movies like A Diva's Christmas Carol in 2000. She was in the film Snow Day that same year. In 2001, she co-starred in the action movie Ticker. She also had small roles in House Party 3 and Hav Plenty.

In 2005, Chilli and T-Boz starred in a reality TV show. It was called R U The Girl. In 2009, VH1 announced another reality show starring Chilli. This show, What Chilli Wants, started in 2010. It showed Chilli looking for love and managing her life. The show had a second season in 2011.

Chilli also appeared on Food Network's Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off in 2013. She was a judge on truTV's reality series Fake Off in 2014. In 2017, she played Zora Neale Hurston in the movie Marshall. This film was about the life of Thurgood Marshall.

Personal Life and Family

Chilli has a son named Tron Austin, who was born on June 2, 1997. In 2001, Chilli started dating singer Usher. She appeared in some of his music videos. Their relationship ended in 2003.

In late 2022, Chilli began dating actor Matthew Lawrence. They shared their relationship publicly in January 2023. On March 4, 2024, Chilli became a grandmother. Her son's wife gave birth to a daughter. Chilli is a member of the Granite Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Community Work and Other Projects

Chilli and the other members of TLC strongly supported safe practices. In 2003, Chilli and T-Boz worked with a company to create an education program. This program taught people about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

In 2012, Chilli started a non-profit organization called Chilli's Crew. This program helps girls aged 13 to 17 in Atlanta. It aims to help them build strong self-esteem.

In 2013, Chilli spoke out against cyberbullying. Her son, Tron, was a victim of cyberbullying. A gossip website targeted him because of his clothes and questioned his identity. Chilli created a petition to have the article removed. She also wanted to stop the site from gossiping about young people. The website eventually removed the article and apologized to her son.

In 2018, Chilli became the face of DAYO casual wear.

Music Releases

Singles

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

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Rozonda Thomas para niños