Jazmine Sullivan

Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer.

She has won two Grammy Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Award, and two BET Awards over the course of her career.

In 2022, Time placed her on their list of the 100 Most Influential People.

Sullivan provided vocals for Kindred the Family Soul's song, "I Am", as well as background vocals on the song "Party's Over", and the title track to their 2003 debut Surrender to Love. She first met rapper Missy Elliott during the session; Elliott went on to produce both the majority of her debut album, Fearless and tracks on Love Me Back. Sullivan wrote and recorded with producers Cool & Dre a song titled "Say I" with producers Cool & Dre; it was given to Dre's then-girlfriend Christina Milian for her third album, So Amazin'.

The song became the lead single, peaking at number 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs as well as reaching number 21 on the Hot 100 chart.

Sullivan is a 2005 graduate of the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts where she was a vocal music major.

Sullivan began singing as a contralto in the children's choir, and later in the adult choir.

Sullivan's exposure to secular music was initially limited.

At fifteen, Sullivan signed to Jive Records.

She recorded an album, which was never released and she was eventually dropped from the label.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Fearless (2008).

It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, atop the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Two of its singles, "Need U Bad" and "Bust Your Windows" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100; the former became Sullivan's first number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Sullivan's breakthrough song, "Need U Bad" was released in May 2008.

The song, featuring additional vocals by Missy Elliott and Sandy "Pepa" Denton of Salt-n-Pepa, later debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was on top of the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs for 34 weeks.

Sullivan's debut album Fearless was released on September 23, 2008.

At the time, she wrote and composed many of its songs and served as the album's executive producer alongside Missy Elliott, Salaam Remi, and Peter Edge.

The album received production from Elliott, Remi, Stargate, Carvin & Ivan, Jack Splash, and Fisticuffs.

Fearless debuted at number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and at number 6 on the Billboard 200.

Sullivan followed her début single with the release of the second single from Fearless, "Bust Your Windows", which reached number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her most successful single on that chart to date.

"Bust Your Windows" appeared on the first season of the Fox hit television show Glee and was also nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Song.

"Lions, Tigers & Bears" was released as the album's third single in December 2008.

It scored her third consecutive top ten on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, reaching number 10, and garnered some mainstream success by reaching number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100.

She was also a supporting act for fellow American R&B singer Maxwell on his 2008 US tour and was the opening act for Ne-Yo's 2009 Year of the Gentleman Tour.

She additionally appeared on Ace Hood's second studio album, Ruthless, on the song "Champion".

Sullivan later pursued success in the United Kingdom and she first released "Dream Big" as a single in the UK in February 2009.

The song was released as the fourth and final single from the album in April 2009.

The album has a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold more than 510,000 copies in the United States.

Sullivan was featured on a song entitled "Smoking Gun" with Jadakiss on his third studio album The Last Kiss.

The song was influenced by a family friend, Devonte Wongwai, from New York City, who wanted to hear the duo on a record.

She went on to headline a few dates with Ryan Leslie, before participating in the Essence Music Festival in June 2009.

In the same year Sullivan appeared in commercials for Cotton Incorporated.

Her second album, Love Me Back (2010), peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and saw further critical praise.

In 2014, Stevie Wonder claimed he considered "Bust Your Windows" a classic song.

After a three year hiatus, Sullivan signed with RCA Records (successor to J Records) to release her second album, Reality Show (2015).

Met with continued success, it peaked at number 12 on the chart and earned three Grammy Award nominations.

Her first extended play (EP), Heaux Tales (2021) debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and was met with widespread critical acclaim, supported by the platinum-certified singles "Pick Up Your Feelings" and "Girl like Me" (featuring H.E.R).

Jazmine Sullivan's parents are Don and Pam Sullivan.

Her mother is a former backup singer for Philadelphia International Records.

When she was five years old, her father landed a position as a curator for the city's Historic Strawberry Mansion in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia, and her family moved into the historical landmark.