Tamyra Gray
Tamyra Gray | |
---|---|
Born | Takoma Park, Maryland | July 26, 1979
Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
Genres | R&B, soul |
Years active | 2002–present |
Tamyra Monica Gray (born July 26, 1979)[1] is an American actress, singer and songwriter, who finished fourth place on the first season of the musical reality competition American Idol in 2002. Post American Idol, Gray has begun acting on Broadway and television. She had a recurring role on the third season of the drama series Boston Public in early 2003.
Personal life
Gray was born in
Gray married Color Me Badd singer Sam Watters (whom she worked with on The Dreamer) on September 2, 2006, in Capri, Italy. About 45 guests were in attendance, including her then-manager, Lisa Braude. Gray's photographer sold the wedding photos to American press, and the low-key relationship soon became public after People broke the story.[2] She is now stepmom to Kieran, Sam's son from a previous marriage. On March 23, 2010, Gray announced to Entertainment Weekly that she was expecting her first baby with Watters.[3] On July 17, 2010, Gray gave birth to daughter Sienna Marie.[4]
American Idol
In 2002, Gray became one of the ten finalists on the first season of American Idol, eventually finishing fourth. Her performance of the Burt Bacharach classic "A House Is Not a Home" was described by Judge Simon Cowell as "one of the best performances on television" that he had ever seen.
Gray was also featured on two tracks on the
During the third season of American Idol, she returned to the show on several occasions to sing "Raindrops Will Fall" and "Star", songs she co-wrote for her debut album, and to sing the National Anthem to open the final results show of the season. Gray also co-wrote the American Idol season three single "
List of performances on American Idol
Semifinals
- June 18, 2002 "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" by Jennifer Holliday
On June 19, 2002, Tamyra became a finalist of American Idol.
Finals
- July 16, 2002 "Touch Me in the Morning" by Diana Ross
- Theme: Motown
- July 23, 2002 "A Fool in Love" by Ike & Tina Turner
- Theme: '60s Music
- July 30, 2002 "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight & the Pips
- Theme: '70s Music
- August 6, 2002 "Minnie the Moocher" by Cab Calloway
- Theme: Big Band
- Theme:
- August 13, 2002 "A House Is Not a Home" by Dionne Warwick
- Theme: Burt Bacharach Songs
- August 20, 2002 "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle and "Feel the Fire" by Stephanie Mills
During the season, many critics and fans thought that Tamyra would make it to the finals, and perhaps win. However, on August 21, Tamyra was placed in the Bottom 2 (along with Nikki McKibbin), and then eliminated from the show. The judges expressed their shock at the audience decision, while making supportive comments to Gray.
Music career
In 1998, Gray provided background vocals on
Gray performed a duet with American Idol season one winner Kelly Clarkson on Clarkson's debut release Thankful. The song, entitled "You Thought Wrong," was co-written by Gray but never released as a single.
Gray was a co-writer and back-up singer on Jessica Simpson's album A Public Affair, which was released August 29, 2006. She is listed fourth in writing credits on the songs "If You Were Mine" and "The Lover in Me", and sang back-up on "If You Were Mine" . The CD debuted on Billboard's 200 Chart at number five.
Gray also co-wrote the number one Billboard Hot 100 song "I Believe."
Gray was reported to be in the process of recording a new album. Gray called it more club-friendly, hip-hop-based project than her debut. She is also in the process of finding a record label. Tamyra tweeted that she was in the studio recording a new album with Ryan Tedder and the production team The Runaways which her husband Sam Watters is part of.[6] They had planned to release her album through a major label in 2010.
Acting career
She landed the recurring role of Aisha Clemens, a student in an abusive relationship, on
She has starred on Broadway twice. In November 2004, Gray was cast for a limited engagement of twelve weeks in the role of Priya in Broadway's struggling Bombay Dreams. Due to continued poor grosses, the show closed early on January 1, 2005. She joined the cast of Rent as Mimi Marquez on May 29, 2007, and was scheduled to play the role until November 25, 2007, however, that six-month contract was extended. Gray performed in Rent until June 15, 2008, and was replaced by Renée Elise Goldsberry.
In October 2005, Gray made her big screen supporting role debut in the independent film The Gospel, which debuted at No. 5 at the box office, and also had strong DVD sales when it was released to stores on January 3, 2006. Gray has one song, "Now Behold the Lamb", featured on the movie's soundtrack, which climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's Soundtrack Chart. Her second movie role was in the 2008 movie Rachel Getting Married.
Also in 2005, Gray appeared in a short film for
In 2011, Gray starred in the musical "Twist," a theatrical version of Oliver Twist set in New Orleans during the Depression, that was produced by Debbie Allen at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California. The musical was scheduled to run from June 14 to July 17, but was extended through July 24 due to strong ticket sales and a string of sold-out shows.[7] In January 2016, she took over the role of Kate on the national tour of If/Then. On January 8, 2018, she took over the role of Papa Ge in the 2018 revival of Once on This Island.[8]
Acting credits
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | The Gospel | Rain Walker | |
2008 | Rachel Getting Married | Singing Friend |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Boston Public | Aisha Clemens | 7 episodes |
2003 | Half & Half |
Zora Kane | Episode: "The Big Foot in My Mouth Episode" |
2004 | Tru Calling | Carly Anders | Episode: "Death Becomes Her" |
2004 | What I Like About You | Danielle | 2 episodes |
2005 | All of Us | Herself | Episode: "Creeping with the Enemy" |
2006 | Las Vegas | Patty | Episode: "Like A Virgin" |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Bombay Dreams | Priya | Replacement |
2007 | Rent | Mimi Marquez | Replacement |
2018 | Once on This Island | Papa Ge | Replacement |
2019 | Into the Woods | Cinderella's Mother/Granny | Hollywood Bowl |
Discography
Albums
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications ( sales threshold )
| ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | ||||||||
2004 | The Dreamer
|
23 | 16 |
| |||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Singles
- "Raindrops Will Fall (H. Hector & J. Vasquez Mixes)" Number 5 Hot Dance Music/Club Play
- "Raindrops Will Fall (Remixes)" Number 9 Hot Dance Music/Club Play
Other songs
- "You Thought Wrong" (with Kelly Clarkson)
References
- ^ "Tamyra Gray Broadway and Theatre Credits". Broadway World. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE! Tamyra Gray Marries in Italy".
- ^ "'American Idol' alum Tamyra Gray is pregnant". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ "Tamyra Gray, Sam Watters Welcome Daughter Sienna Marie". People. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- Def Jam. 1998.
- ^ "idollive.net - Informationen zum Thema idollive". www.idollive.net.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Tamyra Gray & Cleavant Derricks Lead TWIST Musical at Pasadena Playhouse this Summer".
- ^ "Norm Lewis & Tamyra Gray to Join Broadway's Once On This Island".
External links
- Tamyra Gray at IMDb
- Tamyra Gray on Twitter
- Official website (archived)