Editing Blu Cantrell

{{short description|American R&B singer (born 1976)}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2009}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Blu Cantrell
| image             = Blu Cantrell.jpg
| caption           = Cantrell in 2008
| birth_name        = Tiffany Cobb
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1976|3|16}}
| birth_place       = [[Providence, Rhode Island]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[Soul music|soul]]}}
| occupations       = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| years_active      = 1997–present
| label             = [[Arista Records|Arista]]
| website           = {{URL|blucantrell.me}}
}}

'''Tiffany Cobb''' (born March 16, 1976), known professionally as '''Blu Cantrell''', is an American [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer.

Cantrell rose to fame in 2001, with the release of her debut single, "[[Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)]]", which peaked at number two on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and topped the US [[Mainstream Top 40]] chart. The song also charted in several other countries, and appeared on her debut album, ''[[So Blu]]''. In 2002, the song earned Cantrell a [[Grammy Award]] nomination. In 2003, Cantrell released her second album, ''[[Bittersweet (Blu Cantrell album)|Bittersweet]]'', which was nominated for a Grammy Award and included the single "[[Breathe (Blu Cantrell song)|Breathe]]" (featuring [[Sean Paul]]). Written and produced by [[Ivan Matias]], "Breathe" was a major global success in 2003, especially in the United Kingdom, where it topped the [[UK Singles Chart]] for four consecutive weeks. "Breathe" also reached the top ten of several other charts across the world, including the [[European Hot 100]].

==Early life==
Cantrell was born Tiffany Cobb in [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. Her mother, former beauty queen Susi Franco, was an actress and [[vocal jazz|jazz vocalist]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ovguide.com/blu-cantrell-9202a8c04000641f8000000003b6f933#|title=Blu Cantrell Video &#124; Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi|publisher=Ovguide.com|access-date=April 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201015348/https://www.ovguide.com/blu-cantrell-9202a8c04000641f8000000003b6f933|archive-date=December 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Cantrell, she has African-American, German, and Italian ancestry.<ref name=Collins>{{cite news|first=Hattie|last=Collins|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/sep/27/popandrock1|title=Breathless confessions|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=September 27, 2003|access-date=February 14, 2013}}</ref> Cantrell's parents separated when she was a young child, and she along with her five siblings—Adam, Tino, Nick, Kelli, and Summer—were raised by her mother.

==Career==
===Early career===
In the late 1990s, Cantrell established herself as a professional backing vocalist for artists such as [[Sean "Puffy" Combs]]. In 1999, she became a member of the girl group 8th Avenue, a protégé of singer [[Teddy Riley]]. The band recorded several songs and appeared on [[Blackstreet]]'s 1999 album ''[[Finally (Blackstreet album)|Finally]]'', but their material was shelved after Riley left Blackstreet to reform his previous group [[Guy (band)|Guy]], and Blackstreet were dropped by [[Interscope Records]]. Shortly thereafter, 8th Avenue also disbanded.<ref name="yknigs">{{cite web|url=http://youknowigotsoul.com/interview-blu-cantrell-real-knowledge-real-emotion-real-talent-straight-to-your-ear-heart|title=Interview: Blu Cantrell – Real Knowledge, Real Emotion, Real Talent Straight To Your Ear & Heart|publisher=YouKnowIGotSoul.com|date=September 19, 2012|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref>

Before long, Cantrell was introduced by both a dancer friend and R&B singer [[Usher (musician)|Usher]] to music producer [[Tricky Stewart]], the head of Red Zone Entertainment.<ref name="yknigs"/> Stewart originally wanted Cantrell to become a member of his girl group 321, but after a fruitful recording session, he offered to help develop Cantrell's solo career instead.<ref name="yknigs"/> Cantrell subsequently moved in with Stewart and his girlfriend in their house in [[Atlanta]], and was promptly placed with [[Arista Records]] head [[L.A. Reid|Antonio "L.A." Reid]], who offered the singer a contract with the company after hearing one song she wrote and sang in front of him and his staff.<ref name="yknigs"/> After a bidding war with several different labels, Reid's bid was the highest, prompting Cantrell to sign with them.<ref name="yknigs"/>

===2001–2004: ''So Blu'' and ''Bittersweet''===
After her signing with Arista, Cantrell went straight into recording sessions with [[Dallas Austin]] and Stewart, as well as [[Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis]].<ref name="yknigs"/> In July 2001, her debut album, ''[[So Blu]],'' was released. The record earned generally favorable reviews from critics and became a commercial success, particularly in North America, where it peaked at number eight on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. It was eventually certified gold by both the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) and [[Music Canada]].<ref name=Collins /> The album's lead single "[[Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)]]" became a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands and peaked at number two on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The song earned Cantrell [[Grammy Award]] nominations for [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]] and for [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Song|Best R&B Song]], as well as an [[American Music Award]] nomination for Favorite New Soul/R&B Artist, both in 2002. Also in 2002, Cantrell was featured in a small [[cameo role]] in [[Charles Stone III]]'s musical comedy-drama film ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]],'' where she could be seen singing the [[American national anthem]]. Her song "It's Killing Me (In My Mind)" was included on the [[Bad Company (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of the 2002 action comedy film ''[[Bad Company (2002 film)|Bad Company]].''

In 2003, Cantrell released her second album, ''[[Bittersweet (Blu Cantrell album)|Bittersweet]]'' which featured production from [[Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs]], [[Mike City]], [[Soulshock & Karlin]], and [[Shep Crawford]]. As with her debut, the album garnered a positive reception from critics, even earning her a [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Album|Best R&B Album]] nomination at the [[46th Grammy Awards]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=December 4, 2003 |title=Here are the Grammy nominations |url=http://ew.com/article/2003/12/04/here-are-grammy-nominations-2/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |language=en|access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> but was less successful in the United States, peaking at number 37 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. The album was a success internationally, where sales were boosted by its hit single "[[Breathe (Blu Cantrell song)|Breathe]]", a collaboration with [[Sean Paul]]. Her highest-charting single yet, it topped the charts in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and reached the top ten of the majority of charts it appeared on, ranking among the biggest-selling releases of the year.<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-charts-flashback-2003-blu-cantrell-breathe__4584/|title=Official Charts Flashback 2003: Blu Cantrell – Breathe|work=officialcharts.com|access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> "Breathe" was followed by the top thirty single "[[Make Me Wanna Scream]]".<ref name="officialcharts.com"/>

===2005–present===
[[File:Academy Awards afterparty CUN Blu Cantrell.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Cantrell in 2007]]
In 2005, following the formation of the joint venture of [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] and [[Sony Music Entertainment]], Arista merged with [[J Records]] and began operating under the newly formed [[RCA Music Group]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Atlantic Records Group|publisher=[[Warner Music Group]]|url=http://mobile.wmg.com/wmglinks?page=recordedmusic&subpage=atlanticrecordsgroup&viewFullPage=true|date=August 22, 2014|access-date=May 11, 2015|archive-date=July 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708065759/http://mobile.wmg.com/wmglinks?page=recordedmusic&subpage=atlanticrecordsgroup&viewFullPage=true|url-status=dead}}</ref> At about the same time, Cantrell's recording deal was up for renewal and though she was in a position to re-sign with the label, the singer chose to leave the company following the resignation of her mentor [[L.A. Reid]].<ref name="yknigs"/> She then toured intensively as a free agent.<ref name="yknigs"/> Cantrell also starred alongside [[LisaRaye McCoy|LisaRaye]] and [[Kenya Moore]] in the musical stage play ''Gossip, Lies and Secrets'' which ran from September until November in 2007. The following year, she appeared in [[NBC]]'s ''[[Celebrity Circus (U.S. TV series)|Celebrity Circus]]'', becoming the first celebrity to be eliminated from the show in the season's second week.

In 2013, Cantrell confirmed that she was working independently on her third studio album.<ref name="yknigs"/> In December 2016, she told ''Fuse'' that she was still working on a new album.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fuse.tv/2016/12/blu-cantrell-interview-then-now-hit-em-up-style-new-album|title=Then & Now: Blu Cantrell on 'Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)' & Recording a New Album|website=Fuse.tv|access-date=December 5, 2017}}</ref>

Despite the lack of US success after her one big hit, Cantrell continues to perform in Australia and Europe.

==Personal life==
Cantrell was taken into custody by police for a psychological evaluation on September 3, 2014. She was seen running around the streets of Santa Monica at around 2&nbsp;am, screaming that someone had "poisoned her with gas". Cantrell, according to witnesses, went "berserk" and referred to herself as a "one-hit wonder", questioning authorities whether they recognized her; when her "erratic" behavior failed to cease, someone called the police. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was evaluated by medics.
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/article/aq7tq2/blu-cantrell-hospitalized-for-mental-evaluation|title=Blu Cantrell Hospitalized for Mental Evaluation|date=September 4, 2014|work=[[BET]]|access-date=September 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916082317/http://www.bet.com/news/music/2014/09/04/blu-cantrell-hospitalized-for-mental-evaluation.html |archive-date=September 16, 2016 }}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Blu Cantrell discography}}
* ''[[So Blu]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Bittersweet (Blu Cantrell album)|Bittersweet]]'' (2003)

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2002
|''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]''
|Girl singing American National Anthem
|Cameo
|}

== Awards and nominations ==

=== American Music Awards ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Nominated work !! Award !! Result
|-
| 2002 || Herself || Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist || {{nom}}
|}

=== Grammy Awards ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Nominated work !! Award !! Result
|-
| 2002 || "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" || [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]] || rowspan=2 {{nom}}
|-
| 2004 || ''Bittersweet'' || [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Album|Best R&B Album]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|https://www.blucantrell.me/}}

{{Blu Cantrell}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cantrell, Blu}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:African-American songwriters]]
[[Category:African-American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:American musicians of Cape Verdean descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Musicians from Providence, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Singers from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Rhode Island]]