Skylar Grey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Skylar Grey
Grey performing in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Holly Brook Hafermann
Also known as	Holly Brook
Born	(1986-02-23) February 23, 1986 (age 39) Mazomanie, Wisconsin, U.S.
Genres	Pop hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Kidinakorner Interscope Machine Shop Warner Bros.

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986), known as Skylar Grey, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She started her career in 2004, signing with Universal Music Publishing Group and Linkin Park's Machine Shop Recordings. At that time, she used the name Holly Brook. Her first album, Like Blood Like Honey, came out in 2006.

In 2010, Grey helped write Eminem's famous song "Love the Way You Lie". She worked with producer Alex da Kid, who then signed her to his label, Kidinakorner. Her second album, Don't Look Down (2013), reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. Her third album, Natural Causes (2016), was well-liked by critics. In 2021, her song "Last One Standing" became her first song as a main artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her fourth album, Skylar Grey, was released in 2022.

Skylar Grey is also known for singing on popular songs by other artists. These include "Where'd You Go" by Fort Minor, "Coming Home" by Diddy, and "Glorious" by Macklemore. She has written songs for many famous singers like Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and Céline Dion.

Skylar Grey's Musical Journey

Early Years and First Steps (1994–2004)

As a child, Skylar Grey performed folk music with her mother. They were a duo called Generations. This group released three albums together.

First Album and Early Success (2005–2010)

Grey helped write songs for actress Brie Larson's album in 2005. She also sang on two songs for the hip hop group Fort Minor. One of these songs, "Where'd You Go", became very popular in 2006. It reached the top four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her first album, Like Blood Like Honey, came out on June 6, 2006. It did well on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. During this time, Grey opened for artists like Jamie Cullum and k.d. lang on their tours. She also worked with artists connected to Linkin Park, like Styles of Beyond. In 2009, she sang backing vocals for Eurovision artist Yohanna. She released a seven-song collection called O’Dark:Thirty in 2010.

Changing Her Name and Writing Hits (2010–2011)

Grey singing at the Tibet Talk for World Peace in July 2011

Holly Brook changed her stage name to Skylar Grey. She met producer Alex da Kid, and they worked on the song "Love the Way You Lie". This song was given to Eminem and Rihanna. It became a huge worldwide hit, reaching number one in many countries. Grey was nominated for a Grammy Award for this song. She wrote the main part (the hook) for all versions of "Love the Way You Lie".

Alex da Kid signed Skylar Grey to his record label, KIDinaKORNER. In 2010, Grey also co-wrote and sang on Diddy – Dirty Money's popular song "Coming Home". She also helped write "Castle Walls" for T.I. and Christina Aguilera. In 2011, she was featured on Dr. Dre's song "I Need a Doctor" with Eminem. This song also became a big hit, reaching number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Grey performed "I Need a Doctor" with Eminem and Dr. Dre at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. She announced she was working on a new album. In March 2011, she signed with Interscope Records. She released her first single, "Dance Without You", in June 2011. Her song "Invisible" was released to radio later that month.

New Album and More Collaborations (2012–2014)

In 2012, Grey sang on two songs for the hip hop group Slaughterhouse. Her song "Building a Monster" was featured in the movie Frankenweenie.

She also co-wrote Zedd's song "Clarity" in 2012. This song won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2014. In 2013, she co-wrote CeeLo Green's song "Only You". Grey also contributed a song called "Slowly Freaking Out" to the soundtrack for the film The Host.

In October 2012, Grey announced that Eminem would help produce her new album. The album's title was changed to Don't Look Down. It was released on July 5, 2013. The album reached number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart.

In 2013, Grey released a music video for her cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky". She also appeared on Moby's album Innocents. In November 2013, she was featured on Eminem's album The Marshall Mathers LP 2.

In 2014, Grey released "Shot Me Down" with David Guetta. This song was very successful in many countries. She also sang on "Hero" for the Need for Speed movie soundtrack. In November 2014, Grey was on the album Shady XV with Eminem and Yelawolf. She also co-wrote Nicki Minaj's song "Bed of Lies" and performed it with Minaj on TV shows.

Third Album and Movie Soundtracks (2015–2017)

Grey performing in 2015

Grey announced that her third album would be released in 2015. She had songs on the soundtracks for Fifty Shades of Grey ("I Know You") and Furious 7 ("I Will Return"). In March 2015, she performed at WrestleMania 31 with Travis Barker.

Her third album, Natural Causes, was released on September 23, 2016. It received good reviews. Grey went on her Natural Causes Tour in the fall of 2016.

In 2017, Grey sang on "Wreak Havoc" and wrote "Gangsta" for the Suicide Squad soundtrack. She also co-wrote "Good Life" for The Fate of the Furious: The Album. Grey worked with G-Eazy again, writing "Pick Me Up" for his album.

She was featured on Macklemore's song "Glorious", which became a platinum-selling hit. Grey also collaborated with Eminem on his album Revival. She co-wrote songs like "Walk On Water" with Beyoncé and "Like Home" with Alicia Keys.

New Music and Independent Releases (2018–Present)

In 2018, Grey released a cover of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me". This song was used in a Budweiser Super Bowl LII commercial. She also co-wrote and performed "Everything I Need" for the movie Aquaman.

In 2019, Grey released a new version of Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train" with other artists. The music video for this song helped find missing children.

On July 19, 2019, Grey announced she had left Interscope Records. She then released her fourth album, Angel with Tattoos, as an EP on October 18, 2019. She said she would add more songs to it over time. She also wrote "New Kind Of Love" for the TV show "Four Weddings And A Funeral".

In 2019, Grey and her fiancé Elliott Taylor wrote "Falling In Love Again" for Celine Dion. She was also featured on a song by Train called "Mai Tais". In 2020, Eminem's album Music to Be Murdered By featured a song with Grey called "Leaving Heaven". Grey also produced this song, making her the first female to solely produce an Eminem song.

In 2021, Grey's song "Last One Standing" was on the soundtrack for the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Her self-titled fourth album, Skylar Grey, was released on April 28, 2022.

In 2022, her song "My Heart Has Teeth" was on the soundtrack for the series Resident Evil. Her song "Walking On Fire" was featured on the soundtrack for the series Vampire Academy.

In 2023, Grey announced she would re-record her old songs. This was to help with her divorce settlement. She planned to release a "greatest hits" collection. This collection would include her original versions of "Love the Way You Lie" and "Coming Home". She released her album Lofi Chill Vibes with Skylar Grey on August 11, 2023. This album features calm, "lo-fi" versions of her past songs. Grey also co-wrote and sang on Eminem's 2024 song "Temporary".

Skylar Grey's Music Style

Musical Influences

Skylar Grey has said that artists like Bon Iver, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Eminem, and Fiona Apple have influenced her music.

Choosing Her Stage Name

Grey explained that her stage name, Skylar Grey, "represents the unknowns in life." She likes to explore new things because she believes that's where new possibilities come from. She chose "grey" with an 'e' because she likes to do things in an original way. She also said it feels more strong and less feminine, which she likes.

Discography

• Like Blood Like Honey (2006)
• Don't Look Down (2013)
• Natural Causes (2016)
• Skylar Grey (2022)

Film and TV Appearances

Film

Television

Web

Tours

• Don't Look Down Summer US Tour
• The Natural Causes Tour

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

Skylar Grey has been nominated for five Grammys.

MTV Video Music Awards

Teen Choice Awards

Variety's Breakthrough of the Year Awards

Vevo Certified Awards

World Music Awards

See also

In Spanish: Skylar Grey para niños