Tanya Trotter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tanya Trotter
Trotter in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Tanya Blount
Origin	Washington, D.C., US
Genres	R&B soul folk gospel
Occupation(s)	Actress singer author
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Polydor Bad Boy

Tanya Trotter is an American singer, actress, and author who has been performing since she was a teenager. She first became famous for her role in the movie Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). In the film, she sang a powerful duet of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" with co-star Lauryn Hill.

As a solo artist, she released her first album, Natural Thing, in 1994. It included hit songs like "Through the Rain". Today, she is part of the popular and Grammy-nominated country and soul music duo, The War and Treaty, with her husband.

Early Life and School

Tanya was born in Washington, D.C. Her mother is Afro-Panamanian and her father is African-American. Growing up, she sang in both her Baptist church choir and her Catholic school choir.

She later went to Morgan State University, where she studied psychology, which is the study of the human mind and behavior. She also continued to sing in the university's choir.

A Career in Music and Movies

Tanya's career has been full of exciting projects, from acting in a hit movie to creating award-winning music.

Big Break in Sister Act 2

Tanya's first major role was as a character also named "Tanya" in the 1993 movie Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. Her performance of the gospel song "His Eye is on the Sparrow" with Lauryn Hill became one of the most memorable scenes in the film. She was also featured on the movie's soundtrack album.

Solo Music Career

After her movie success, Tanya signed with Polydor Records. In 1994, she released her first album, Natural Thing. The album did well on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Three singles from the album became popular:

• "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" reached number 57 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
• "Through the Rain" was her biggest solo hit. It climbed to number 27 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and number 90 on the main US Hot 100 chart.
• "Hold On" also made it onto the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

In 1995, her talent was recognized with a nomination for Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards.

Later, she signed with Sean Combs' record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. She worked on a second album and wrote songs for other artists. However, the album was never released.

The War and Treaty

In 2016, Tanya and her husband, Michael Trotter Jr., formed the music duo The War and Treaty. They released a duet album called Love Affair and a single called "Hi Ho."

Their music is a mix of blues, gospel, soul, and country. In 2017, they released an EP called Down to the River, which was praised by critics. Their first full album as a duo, Healing Tide, came out in 2018.

The War and Treaty have become very successful. They have been nominated for Grammy Awards and have won an Americana Music Award. They continue to release popular albums, including Hearts Town (2020), Lover's Game (2023), and Plus One (2025).

Personal Life

Tanya is married to Michael Trotter Jr., her partner in the band The War and Treaty. They have a son named Antonio.

Discography

Here is a list of some of Tanya Trotter's albums and songs, both as a solo artist and with The War and Treaty.

Studio Albums

Singles

as lead artist

Film and Books

• Movie Role: Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) - as Tanya
• Book: Through the Rain 40 Principles for Surviving Life's Challenges

Awards and Nominations

• 1995: Nominee, Soul Train Music Award, Best New Artist
• 2019: Winner, Americana Music Award for Emerging Artist of the Year (with The War and Treaty)