Usher (singer)

Usher Terry Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978) known mononymously as Usher, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Born in Dallas, but raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee was where he lived until moving to Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 12 where his mother put him in local singing competiitons all over the city. At one of these competitions is where he would catch the eye of a music A&R from LaFace Records. In August 1994 he released his self-titled debut album, Usher with the lead singles "Can U Get Wit It" and "Think of You". He rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way (1997), which spawned his first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, "Nice & Slow". The album has been certified 6-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). My Way also earned Usher his first Grammy Award nomination for his debut single "You Make Me Wanna" that reached number-one on the Rhythmic Top 40, Hot Dance Singles Sales, and US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts. His follow-up album, 8701, produced the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". Also from this album "U Don't Have to Call" won Usher his second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2003.