Tamia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tamia
Tamia during an interview in September 2018
Born	Tamia Marilyn Washington (1975-05-09) May 9, 1975 (age 50) Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Singer songwriter record producer
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Grant Hill ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	R&B soul gospel
Labels	Def Jam Elektra

Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill (born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. As a child, Tamia loved to sing and dance, often joining local competitions.

In 1994, a famous producer named Quincy Jones asked her to sing on his album Q's Jook Joint. This led to her first Grammy Award nominations. Her first album, Tamia, came out in 1998. After that, she released many successful albums like A Nu Day (2000) and More (2004).

Many of her songs became popular hits. These include "So Into You", "Stranger in My House", and "Imagination". She also had popular songs with other artists, such as "Into You" and "Spend My Life with You".

Tamia now releases most of her music on her own record label, Plus One Music Group. Her album Love Life (2015) reached number two on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This was her highest-charting album ever. She has been nominated for six Grammy Awards and won an NAACP Image Award.

Since 1999, Tamia has been married to former basketball player Grant Hill. They have two daughters. In 2003, Tamia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She now works to help others who have the same condition.

Early life and first steps in music

Tamia was born in Windsor, Ontario. She is the only daughter of Barbara Washington-Peden, who raised Tamia and her three younger brothers as a single mom. Tamia grew up hearing many types of music, especially at church.

She started singing on stage at her local church when she was only six years old. By age 12, she was already in several musicals. These experiences helped her improve her singing skills. She also studied piano and voice with a well-known musician named Eugene Davis. He encouraged her to follow her dream of singing.

Tamia attended Walkerville Collegiate Institute, where she joined a special arts program. She performed in local theater and concerts. In 1993, she won Canada's YTV Vocal Achievement Award.

In 1994, Tamia sang at a charity event in Aspen, Colorado. There, she met Brenda Richie, a music manager. Brenda helped Tamia move to Los Angeles and get a management deal. Soon after, Brenda arranged for Tamia to sing at a party for singer Luther Vandross. Her performance impressed everyone, especially producer Quincy Jones. He then asked her to be on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995).

Career highlights

Early collaborations and first album

Tamia in 1998

One of the songs Tamia recorded for Quincy Jones was "You Put a Move on My Heart". It became a popular song and earned her a Grammy Award nomination. She also received nominations for "Slow Jams" and "Missing You". The song "Missing You" was for the movie Set It Off (1996) and sold very well.

In 1997, Tamia acted in the movie Speed 2: Cruise Control. She played a singer on a cruise ship and performed a song called "Make Tonight Beautiful". She also appeared on TV shows like Rock Me Baby and Kenan and Kel.

Her first album, Tamia, was released in April 1998. Critics liked her singing, and the album reached number sixty-seven on the US Billboard 200 chart. Two songs from the album, "Imagination" and "So into You", became top twenty hits. In 1999, Tamia was nominated for two Juno Awards for her debut album.

New music and more success

In 1999, Tamia sang with Eric Benét on his song "Spend My Life with You". This song became a number one hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also earned her another Grammy nomination and an NAACP Image Award.

Tamia then moved to Elektra Records and started working on her second album, A Nu Day. She wanted this album to be more upbeat than her first. Released in October 2000, A Nu Day reached number forty-six on the Billboard 200. It also became a top ten album on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album sold enough copies to be certified gold in the US. It included her biggest hit, "Stranger in My House", which reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2003, Tamia sang on the popular song "Into You" with rapper Fabolous. This song was based on her earlier hit "So into You". It became a top five hit in both Australia and the US.

Her third album, More, was released in April 2004. It debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200. This was her highest-selling and highest-charting album opening at the time. To support the album, Tamia joined the Verizon Ladies First Tour. She performed alongside stars like Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliott.

Becoming an independent artist

In 2005, Tamia decided to leave Elektra Records to have more control over her music. She started her own record label, Plus One Music Group. Her fourth album, Between Friends, came out in 2006. It reached number 66 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Independent Albums chart. Its first two songs, "Can't Get Enough" and "Me", were top 30 hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

In 2012, Tamia released her fifth album, Beautiful Surprise, through her own label and EMI Music. The album received good reviews and debuted at number 23 on the Billboard 200. The main song, "Beautiful Surprise", was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. The album itself was nominated for Best R&B Album. Tamia also received a Soul Train Music Award nomination. She joined R. Kelly on his Single Ladies Tour to promote the album.

Recent albums and awards

In 2014, Tamia signed with Def Jam Recordings. Her sixth album, Love Life, was released in June 2015. It was completed in just ten days! The album received positive reviews and debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200. It also topped the Top R&B Albums chart. This made Love Life Tamia's highest-charting album ever on both R&B charts.

Tamia's seventh album, Passion Like Fire, came out in September 2018. While it didn't chart as high as some of her previous albums, its first song, "Leave It Smokin'", became a big hit. It reached number two on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart. Tamia went on the Passion Like Fire Tour to support the album. In 2019, she received the Soul Music Icon Award at the Black Music Honors. In 2023, she was given an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Morris Brown College.

Personal life

Singer Anita Baker introduced Tamia to American basketball player Grant Hill in 1996. They went on a blind date in Detroit, Michigan. After dating for about three years, they got married on July 24, 1999. Their wedding was a private event in Battle Creek, Michigan, with 250 guests.

The couple first lived in Detroit. Later, they moved to Orlando when Grant Hill joined the Orlando Magic basketball team. They have two daughters: Myla Grace, born in 2002, and Lael Rose Hill, born in 2007.

In 2003, while working on her third album, Tamia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a health condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. She had been feeling very tired and experienced numbness in her hands, feet, and legs. Doctors at Duke University Hospital diagnosed her early. She received treatment, and the condition has been in remission, meaning her symptoms are under control. Tamia is now an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, helping others affected by MS.

Discography

• Tamia (1998)
• A Nu Day (2000)
• More (2004)
• Between Friends (2006)
• Beautiful Surprise (2012)
• Love Life (2015)
• Passion Like Fire (2018)

Tours

Awards and nominations

Tamia has been nominated for many awards throughout her career. She has received six Grammy Award nominations. She won an NAACP Image Award for "Spend My Life with You" with Eric Benét. She has also been nominated for four Juno Awards and a Soul Train Music Award.

Grammy Awards

NAACP Image Award

Juno Award

Soul Train Music Awards

UB Honors Awards

RLM World Music Awards

Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

Source Awards

See also

In Spanish: Tamia (cantante) para niños

• List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
• List of people with multiple sclerosis