Chrisette Michele Payne (born December 8, 1982), known professionally
as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter
on the Island Def Jam Music Group.[2] She won a Grammy Award for
Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2009 for her song "Be
OK".
Michele was born in Central Islip, New York, and grew up in Patchogue.
Her father was a deacon and her mother a choir director. Michele
led gospel choirs in high school. She attended Five Towns College
in Dix Hills, New York, and graduated with a vocal performance degree.
Michele has been featured on several hip hop albums. She is on The
Game's album LAX on "Let Us Live". On Jay-Z's Kingdom Come
she was featured on the second single "Lost One", while
on Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead, she was featured three times: on the album's
second single "Can't Forget About You", the Kanye West-produced "Still
Dreaming", and the final track "Hope". She also appeared
on the bonus track "Slow Down", from Ghostface Killah's
The Big Doe Rehab.
[edit] I Am (2007)
Michele performing in Brooklyn in August 2007.
Michele's debut album, I Am, was released on June 18, 2007. The
song "Your Joy" was released on iTunes as a free single
of the week. The album spawned four singles: "If I Have My Way", "Best
of Me", "Be OK", and "Love Is You". The
album's lead single "If I Have My Way" charted at number
four on Billboard's Hot Adult R&B Airplay and number twenty-four
on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. "Best of Me" charted
on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks at number twenty-one. In December
2007, "Be OK" was released as the third single, charting
at number sixty-four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number
twenty-one on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay. In 2008, "Love
Is You" was released as the album's fourth and final single
on the album; it reached number ninety on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Songs and number twenty on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.
[edit] Epiphany (2009)
In 2008, Michele appeared on the track "Rising Up" from
The Roots' album Rising Down. Michele guest starred as herself in
The CW's Girlfriends, in the episode entitled "What's Black-a-Lackin'?",
which originally aired on February 11, 2008. She also wrote a song
for Tyler Perry's House of Payne entitled "I've Gotta Love Jones".
From May to July 2008 Michele embarked on a nationwide co-headlining
tour with fellow soul singer Raheem DeVaughn called the Art of Love
Tour; Solange Knowles served as the opening act.[3] In September
2008, Michele performed twice at the Evening of Stars: A Tribute
to Patti Labelle.
In mid-2008, Michele began recording for her second album, Epiphany.
In January 2009, the album's title track was released as the lead
single.[4] Released on May 5, 2009, the album debuted at number one
on the Billboard 200 selling 83,000 copies in its opening week.[5]
Michele quickly starting working with rapper Rick Ross, and Canadian
rapper/singer Drake on the fourth single of Ross's album Teflon Don
called Aston Martin Music. The song was released on October 5, 2010.[6]
[edit] Let Freedom Reign (2010)
Michele released her third studio album, Let Freedom Reign, in 2010.
The album includes the singles, "I'm a Star", "Goodbye
Game". The album features Michele performing hip-hop, R&B,
as well as the dance-pop influenced "So Cool".The album
debuted at number 25 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 42,000
copies in its first week.
[edit] Discography
Main article: Chrisette Michele discography
Studio albums
2007: I Am
2009: Epiphany
2010: Let Freedom Reign
Mixtapes
2010: Love Thy Brother
[edit] Tours
The Art of Love Tour (with Raheem DeVaughn) (2008)
The Epiphany Tour (2010)
[edit] Awards and nominations
Vibe Music Award
2008, Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Nominated)
Grammy Award
2008, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "If I Have My
Way" (Nominated)
2009, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Be OK" (Won)
BET Award
2010, Centric Award: (Nominated)
2008, Best New Artist: (Nominated)
BET J/Centric
2008, Virtual Awards: Soul Approved: (Won)
2008, Female Artist of the Year: (Nominated)
NAACP Image Awards
2008, Outstanding New Artist: (Nominated)
Soul Train Awards
2009, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist: (Nominated)
Urban Music Awards
2009, Best Female Act: (Nominated)