What is Macy Gray's net worth?
Macy Gray is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actress who has a net worth of $12 million. Macy Gray is known for her raspy vocals and Billie Holiday-inspired singing style. She has released numerous studio albums, for which she has received Grammy Award nominations and a win. Gray has also acted in many films, including "Training Day," "Spider-Man," "Lackawanna Blues," and "For Colored Girls."
Early Life
Macy Gray was born as Natalie McIntyre in Canton, Ohio in 1967. Her father, Otis Jones, left the family when Gray was a baby. She has a sister and a brother. At age seven, Gray started taking piano lessons. Later on, as a teenager, she attended multiple high schools, one of which she was even asked to leave due to her bad behavior. After graduating from Canton South High School in 1985, Gray enrolled at the University of Southern California, where she studied scriptwriting.
Career Beginnings
While working as a cashier in Beverly Hills, Gray met writer and producer Joe Solo, with whom she wrote and recorded a collection of songs. Because of the resulting demo tape, Gray was given opportunities to sing at Los Angeles jazz cafes. Subsequently, she was signed by Atlantic Records, but was dropped from the label after the person who had signed her left the company. After returning to Ohio in 1997, she was convinced by the senior vice president of the LA-based Zomba Label Group to return to a career in music. She was then signed to a development deal, and began recording new songs about her life experiences. In 1998, she landed a deal with Epic Records.
"On How Life Is" and Other Musical Successes
In the summer of 1999, Gray released her debut album, "On How Life Is." An international hit, it produced the singles "Do Something," "Still," and "Why Didn't You Call Me." The most successful single was "I Try," which became one of the biggest hits of 1999. Due to this success, "On How Life Is" went triple platinum in the US and quadruple platinum in the UK. Later, "I Try" was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards, and won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Gray followed her triumph with her second studio album, "The Id," which reached number eleven on the Billboard 200. It did even better in the United Kingdom, ascending to number one on the UK Albums Cart and becoming certified gold. Shortly after, Gray did collaborations with a variety of artists; she worked with Santana on their album track "Amoré (Sexo)," participated in a cover of Kuti's classic song "Water No Get Enemy," and recorded a duet with Zucchero. Then, in 2003, Gray released her third studio album, the critically acclaimed "The Trouble with Being Myself." Its lead single, "When I See You," was a radio success in the US, while the album itself made the top 20 in the UK. Afterward, a greatest hits collection and a live album were released.
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"Big" and Beyond
After a four-year hiatus, Gray returned to release her fourth studio album, "Big," which spawned the singles "Finally Made Me Happy" and "Shoo Be Doo." Another critical success for Gray, the album featured collaborations with such artists as Justin Timberlake, Fergie, and Natalie Cole. Gray's next album was "The Sellout"; its lead single, "Beauty in the World," was used in the series finale of ABC's "Ugly Betty."
In 2011, Gray signed with 429 Records and started recording her next album, "Covered," which featured covers of hit songs. This was followed in 2016 by "Stripped," produced by Chesky Records. "Stripped" drew high acclaim from critics, and debuted at number three on the Billboard Jazz Chart.
Film Career
Gray has had a significant career on film, appearing in movies such as "Training Day," "Shadowboxer," "Domino," and the 2004 remake of "Around the World in 80 Days." She also had cameos in "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 3," and appeared in the 2005 television-movie adaptation of the play "Lackawanna Blues." In 2006, she portrayed the character of Taffy in the musical film "Idlewild," which featured the music of the group Outkast. Later, after being a contestant on season nine of "Dancing with the Stars," Gray starred in Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls" alongside Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, and others. Subsequent film credits have included "The Paperboy," "Brotherly Love," "Papa," "Cardboard Boxer," and "Change in the Air."
Other Ventures
Among her other work, Gray competed on season eight of Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," finishing in third place. In 2012, she participated in a special performance of the West End musical "Thriller – Live," where she performed Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" to raise money for BBC Children in Need. Also on the charity side of things, Gray created the non-profit organization My Good to help families with mental health services and funeral costs.
Personal Life and Real Estate
For around four years, Gray was married to mortgage broker Tracy Hinds, but got divorced when her career was in its early stages. Together, they had three children: Mel, Aanisah, and Happy.
In 2006, Gray put her sprawling estate in the San Fernando Valley on the market for around $4.5 million. The Colonial-style, 10,000-square-foot home featured seven bedrooms and nine-and-a-half bathrooms, as well as a basketball court, a spa and pool, and a dome ceiling.
