Macy Gray is one of the great American soul singers. As a child, she used to listen to Stevie Wonder, Sly Stone, James Brown and Marvin Gaye albums which belonged to her father. She later entered the world of music, at age 30, but will probably not be leaving it anytime soon.

When she moved to Los Angeles, Macy joined a jazz band and began recording her first demo tapes. One of them resulted in a contract with Sony in 1998.

Thus, the singer released her first album, “On How Life Is,” which sold over two million copies in the United States alone and earned her two Brit Awards. With hits like “I Try” and “Why Didn’t You Call Me” under her belt, Macy established herself as a star of contemporary music, was nominated for a Grammy and received the awards for Best New Artist and Best R&B Singer at the 1999 Grammy Awards.

Always tuned in to styles and trends, the singer has built a strong image that matches her personality. Her second album featured the song “Sweet Baby,” featuring John Frusciante and Erykah Badu. This is probably her most recognized song in Brazil. In 2002, Macy participated in the Red Hot Organization project in tribute to Fela Kuti.

Last year, the album “The Sellout” hit the market three years after the previous release “Big.” Macy says that upon completing this recording, what was important was to make sure to have done exactly what she wanted. The album was recorded in several different studios in Los Angeles and, according to Macy, with her favorite songwriters and producers. “The Sellout” features guest appearances by Velvet Revolver and Bobby Brown, and brings back the pop-soul characteristics of Macy Gray, which we will see in Back2Black 2011.