Blu Cantrell

Tiffany Cobb (born March 16, 1976), known professionally as Blu Cantrell, is an American R&B and soul 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 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, which was nominated for a Grammy Award and included the single "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.

Blu Cantrell has cited a wide range of artists as influences, including Billie Holiday, Sade, Kim Burrell, Karen Clark, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Sting, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston.

Early life Cantrell was born Tiffany Cobb in Providence, Rhode Island. Her mother, former beauty queen Susi Franco, was an actress and jazz vocalist. According to Cantrell, she has African-American, German, and Italian ancestry. Cantrell's parents separated when she was a child, and she and her five siblings 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, but their material was shelved after Riley left Blackstreet to reform his previous group Guy, and Blackstreet were dropped by Interscope Records. Shortly thereafter, 8th Avenue also disbanded.

Before long, Cantrell was introduced by both a dancer friend and R&B singer Usher to music producer Tricky Stewart, the head of Red Zone Entertainment. but was less successful in the United States, peaking at number 37 on the Billboard 200. The album was a success internationally, where sales were boosted by its hit single "Breathe", a collaboration with Sean Paul. Her highest-charting single yet, it topped the charts in Ireland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, and reached the top ten of the majority of charts it appeared on, ranking among the biggest-selling releases of the year. "Breathe" was followed by the top thirty single "Make Me Wanna Scream". 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.

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 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.

Discography

So Blu (2001) Bittersweet (2003)

Filmography

Awards and nominations

American Music Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result 2002 Herself Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist

Grammy Awards