Who Is Skylar Grey? Possibly the 2011 Grammy Awards’ Biggest New Star
In recent months the name of Skylar Grey has been popping up with increasing regularity in the credits for major pop and hip hop fusion hit singles. Then at last night’s Grammy Awards, the woman named Skylar Grey hit the stage to sing the dramatic chorus for «I Need a Doctor,» the current hit single from Eminem and Dr. Dre. Just who is Skylar Grey?
Skylar Grey is a stage name for Holly Brook Hafermann. She formerly performed as simply Holly Brook and under that name is featured on the Fort Minor hit single «Where’d You Go?» Following that success, Holly Brook released an album Like Blood Like Honey in 2006 that climbed to #26 on Billboard’s Heat Seekers chart. She maintained a low profile in the industry until helping co-write Eminem’s massive smash hit «Love the Way You Lie.» Skylar Grey has stated in a blog for the Grammy Awards,
«When I wrote the chorus to Eminem’s ’Love The Way You Lie’ featuring Rihanna, I was living alone in a cabin in the woods, with my home studio. I was taking a step away from the industry in an effort to nurture my muses, which had been seriously damaged. I certainly wasn’t attempting to write a hit song, but rather channeling what naturally came to me, with no expectations.»
Since «Love the Way You Lie» went to #1 on the pop charts, Skylar Grey appeared as a co-writer and featured peformer on Diddy-Dirty Money’s hit single «Coming Home,» as well as featured performer on the Eminem and Dr. Dre smash «I Need a Doctor.» All three of these hit singles were Alex Da Kid productions. He has signed Skylar Grey to a production deal. It looks like stardom is lurking just around the corner.
By Bill Lamb, About.com Guide. 13.02.2011
Skylar Grey Breaks Out With Dre, Eminem Grammy Performance
Many Grammy viewers might have asked themselves the same question several times during Sunday night’s ceremony: Who was that?
In addition to Best New Artist winner Esperanza Spalding, another woman who hit the stage of the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards had plenty of viewers wondering who she was: first-time nominee and performer Skylar Grey, who took to the stage with Eminem and Dr. Dre during their intense set.
As it turns out, the Wisconsin-born Grey, whose real name is Holly Brook Hafermann, already has a long hip-hop résumé, although much of her work has been behind the scenes. Grey partially penned and inspired Eminem and Rihanna’s Grammy-nominated chart-topper «Love the Way You Lie,» and she released her own version of the song, which PopEater.com debuted earlier this month.
After Em, Rihanna and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine performed their stirring rendition of «Love the Way You Lie,» Grey segued into «I Need a Doctor,» a song off Dre’s Detox. While the presence of Eminem, Dre, Rihanna and Levine onstage for the two-song set was undoubtedly one of the show’s highlights, it was Grey’s haunting singing of the chorus, «I need a doctor,» that helped elevate the moment. Grey tweeted after the performance, «Thank you @Eminem and @drdre so much for having me on the Grammy stage!!!! Had a blast!!!!»
Plenty of Eminem fans were likely able to place Grey’s voice from having heard «I Need a Doctor.» But in fact, Grey already has her own musical career going. The black-haired beauty revealed to «Access Hollywood» at the Grammys, «I started performing at age 6, performing with my mom. We had a little duo, and I started writing songs with lyrics around 14. By the time I was 15, I had three independent albums.»
Before taking on the stage name Skylar Grey, the singer/songwriter/producer was known as Holly Brook. As Holly, she released a solo effort called Like Blood Like Honey in 2006 and also lent her unique vocals to Fort Minor on their hit «Where’d You Go.».
While Grey has since shed her former stage name, telling PopEater, «Holly Brook is dead,» she has not slowed down on collaborative efforts. In addition to «Love the Way You Lie,» Grey can be heard on the Diddy-Dirty Money track (which she also co-wrote), Lupe Fiasco’s «Words I Never Said» and two tracks for T.I., including his hit duet with Christina Aguilera, «Castle Walls.»
But it’s heavyweight producer Alex Da Kid who ties all of Grey’s current successes together. Having already done well together on efforts like «Love the Way You Lie,» Alex and Grey plan to team up yet again for her upcoming, yet-to-be-titled solo effort.
By Aly Semigran, mtv.com. 14.02.2011
Skylar Grey ‘Flattered’ Eminem, Dr. Dre Tapped Her For Detox
Skylar Grey found herself on the largest stage in music at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards when she joined Eminem and Dr. Dre for the duo’s «I Need a Doctor.»
The Wisconsin-bred singer penned the chorus for the Alex Da Kid-produced number as well as Em’s Grammy-nominated «Love the Way You Lie» featuring Rihanna. And although the veteran songwriter is used to being behind the scenes, Grey says she enjoyed her time in the spotlight.
«I was just flattered that they would involve me on such a project,» she told MTV News on the Grammy red carpet. «Dr. Dre has been working on [Detox] for 10 years and now I’m on a single off of it.»
Grey’s profile has been increasing lately, from her exposure as the woman behind the moving chorus of «Love the Way You Lie» and T.I.’s «Castle Walls» to lending her vocals to «I Need a Doctor» and being featured on Lupe Fiasco’s latest single, «Words I Never Said» and Diddy-Dirty Money’s «Coming Home.»
She’s working on her still-untitled solo debut with Alex Da Kid and the two are reaping the benefits of fusing her alt-sounding vocals with the British producer’s sweeping production.
«It’s just a creative experience being in the studio with different people,» she said of the pair’s work. «I’m not from the hip-hop world but I think that’s what works for the sound that we got. The combination of the alternative chorus mixed with the hip-hop verses.»
By Jayson Rodriguez, mtv.com. 14.02.2011
Mystery Girl Skylar Grey Wows Grammys
The Eminem-and Dr. Dre collaboration and feature with Skylar Grey for the new single «I Need A Doctor» from Dre’s Detox album, was spectacular, and has everyone asking — who is Skylar Grey?
Mystery Girl Skylar Grey — Wows Grammys
MTV called it this way: «The epic „I Need A Doctor“ was as expected a major spectacle as Skylar Grey’s wailing vocals and the dramatic shift in mood on stage was seamlessly pulled off and nearly erased all visuals and memory of Rihanna’s appearance with Slim Shady just moments before it. Fans on Twitter reacted in record number, and much of the responses named this performance the best of the night.»
By Angela Carson, Ledger Pop Journal. 14.02.2011
Skylar Grey’s ‘I Need a Doctor’ Grammy Performance Spikes Interest
Dr. Dre and Eminem‘s reunion on the Grammy stage was anticipated and expected, but many of us were not prepared to hear the serene vocals of singer-songwriter Skylar Grey.
Appearing on stage to open the Dr. Dre and Eminem’s single, ‘I Need a Doctor,’ she hid herself behind smoke and subtle lighting — her clothes even in muted colors — leaving all of our attention to her emotionally laden vocals. In her pleading moments, she carried the weight of Lindy Perry’s higher register (from the ’90s grunge group 4 Non Blondes), leaving us breathless.
The thing is, she may not be able to hide behind the limelight much longer. She owns it in Diddy-Dirty Money’s ‘Coming Home’ — arguably Diddy’s best single in 10 years — penned all three parts of Eminem and Rihanna‘s hit ‘Love the Way You Lie,’ and is even featured on Lupe Fiasco’s most recent single, ‘Words I Never Said.’
Grey — formerly known as Holly Brook Hafermann — recently released her demo of ‘Love the Way You Lie,’ her voice accompanied by only piano. «I’m not primarily a songwriter for other people,» she tells PopEater in an exclusive interview. «I really am an artist.»
Although there’s not much detail on her debut album, she’s apparently collaborating with British producer Alex da Kid, who’s worked with Nicki Minaj, Parmore’s Hayley Williams and B.o.B, among others.
By Sara D. Anderson, popcrush.com. 14.02.2011
Mysterious Girl at the Grammys: Skylar Grey
Many Grammy viewers might have asked themselves the same question several times during Sunday night’s ceremony: Who was that?
Skylar Grey was the unsung hero of the Eminem-Rihanna-Dr. Dre collaboration at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night, singing in the shadows as the Detroit rapper’s performance turned from «Love the Way You Lie» to «I Need A Doctor,» but she loved every minute of it.
«It was amazing,» the Wisconsin-bred singer/songwriter told reporters backstage at the music awards ceremony. «I’ve never played on a stage that big with an audience that vast.»
Still, the pretty brunette said she had no qualms about performing in front of a worldwide audience of millions on the Grammy stage alongside some of music’s elite.
«I wasn’t that nervous, actually,» she said.
Skylar actually wrote Rihanna’s part in «Love The Way You Lie,» and she hinted that her lyrics were inspired by Eminem’s rhymes.
«It was pretty [much] what Eminem wrote his verses about,» she said of the chorus. «Not as extreme, but same concept.»
Skylar also penned the refrain she sang in Dr. Dre’s «I Need A Doctor,» having met both Dre and Eminem through her work with Alex Da Kid. Additionally, she co-wrote Diddy Dirty Money’s current hit, «Coming Home.»
«I wrote the chorus to ‘Love The Way You Lie’ … and then he asked me to come and work on Dr. Dre’s album too,» she explained backstage.
Skylar, a newcomer to the Grammys, explained her background to reporters backstage at the event.
«I was born in Wisconsin and I started performing at age 6, performing with my mom, we had a little duo and I started writing songs with lyrics around 14,» Skylar recounted. «By the time I was 15, I had three independent albums…
«[I] dropped out of high school, moved to LA when I was 17, got a record deal and they didn’t really know what to do with me,» she laughed.
Before taking on the stage name Skylar Grey, the singer/songwriter/producer was known as Holly Brook. As Holly, she released a solo effort called Like Blood Like Honey in 2006 and also lent her unique vocals to Fort Minor on their hit «Where’d You Go.».
As for her future, now that Skylar’s been exposed to millions, her plans remain the same.
«I’m working on solo material right now with Alex,» she added.
ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com. 15.02.2011
