Ella Mai
{{short description|British R&B singer (born 1994)}}
{{about|the singer|her self-titled album|Ella Mai (album)}}
{{for-multi|the singer known as Ego Ella May|Ego Ella May|}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ella Mai
| image = Ella_Mai_2019_by_Glenn_Francis.jpg
| caption = Ella Mai at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards
| birth_name = Ella Mai Howell
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|11|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = London, England
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| genre = R&B{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ella-mai-mn0003506278|title = Ella Mai Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website = AllMusic}}
| label = {{hlist|10 Summers|Interscope}}
| past_member_of = Arize
{{Infobox person
| child = yes
| partner = Jayson Tatum (2022–present)
| children = 1
| website = {{URL|ellamai.com}}
}}
}}
Ella Mai Howell (born 3 November 1994) is an English R&B singer-songwriter. Her musical career began at London's British and Irish Modern Music Institute in 2014, during which time she auditioned as part of a trio on the 11th season of The X Factor. In 2015, she released her debut four-track solo extended play (EP), Troubled in October of that year. The EP and her performances on social media were discovered by American record producer DJ Mustard, who signed Mai to his record label 10 Summers Records, an imprint of Interscope Records.
From 2016 to 2018, she released three additional EPs on the label, including Time, Change, and Ready. Her self-titled debut studio album (2018) was preceded by the singles "Boo'd Up" and "Trip", which peaked at numbers five and 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. The former won Best R&B Song and a nomination for Song of the Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, while Mai herself was a nominee for British Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/idles-1975-dua-lipa-2019-brit-awards-nominations-2430434|title=IDLES, The 1975, and Dua Lipa amongst stars nominated for 2019 BRIT Awards|last=Daly|first=Rhian|date=12 January 2019|website=NME|access-date=24 January 2019}} That same year, she won three awards at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, including Top R&B Artist. Her second studio album, Heart on My Sleeve (2022) failed to reach the UK Albums Chart, but performed moderately on the US Billboard 200.{{cite magazine|last=Lynch|first=Joe|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8509655/billboard-music-awards-2019-winners-list|title=2019 Billboard Music Awards Winners: The Complete List|magazine=Billboard|date=1 May 2019}}{{cite web | url=https://www.aol.com/ella-mai-unveils-tracklist-sophomore-195702243.html | title=Ella Mai Unveils Tracklist for Sophomore Album, 'Heart on My Sleeve' | date=31 March 2022 }}
Early life and education
Ella Mai was born on 3 November 1994 to a Jamaican mother and an English-Irish father in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8461270/ella-mai-chartbreaker-bood-up-interview|title=Chartbreaker: Ella Mai Can't Believe How Huge 'Boo'd Up' Has Become: 'I Have No Words'|website=Billboard.com|date=20 June 2018|access-date=27 November 2018}} Her mother, a lover of American jazz music, named her after Ella Fitzgerald.{{cite web|url=https://nylon.com/articles/ella-mai-interview|title=Ella Mai Makes The Music That We Can't Stop Listening To|date=24 March 2017|website=Nylon.com|access-date=27 November 2018}} Mai moved from London to New York City at the age of 12 when her mother took on a teaching job there. Mai's transition to life in New York City was difficult because she was often bullied for her accent.{{Cite web|title=Ella Mai|url=https://en.24smi.org/celebrity/87235-ella-mai.html|access-date=4 October 2021|website=en.24smi.org|language=en}} Mai graduated from Queens High School of Teaching in Glen Oaks, Queens, before returning to England aged 17.{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Peter|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/09/ella-mai-i-dont-know-the-last-time-an-r-and-b-artist-was-recognised-at-the-brits|title=Ella Mai: 'I don't know the last time an R&B artist was recognised at the Brits'|date=9 February 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=30 January 2021}}
Career
Ella Mai's singing career began studying at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute London (BIMM London) in 2014. During that time she competed on series 11 of The X Factor as part of a trio, 'Arize', but didn't advance beyond the initial audition for the judges. The group broke up shortly thereafter.
=2015–2019: Self-titled debut album=
During 2015, Ella Mai uploaded a four-track solo EP of original recorded songs to SoundCloud titled Troubled. After its release, Mai was discovered on Instagram and signed to American hip hop producer DJ Mustard's label, 10 Summers Records, which operates as part of Interscope Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.interscope.com/artists/ella-mai|title=Ella Mai|date=24 May 2018|website=Interscope.com}} In February 2016, she released Time, the first in her EP trilogy. The six-track EP included the single "She Don't", which featured Mustard's frequent collaborator, singer Ty Dolla Sign.{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ella-mai-time-ep-new-mixtape.116276.html|title=Ella Mai – Time EP – Download & Listen [New Mixtape]|website=Hotnewhiphop.com|date=16 February 2016}} She released her second EP, Change, in November 2016 and third, Ready, in February 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/2016/11/ella-mai-change-ep/|title=Take Ella Mai's New 'Change' EP For A Spin|date=22 November 2016|website=Vibe.com}} "Boo'd Up", which was featured on the EP, rose in popularity on social media as well as in nightclubs over the next few months.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2018/05/24/ella-mai-bood-up-interview|title=Ella Mai's Slow Burn|last=Howard|first=Jackson|date=2018|website=The Fader|access-date=16 June 2018}} Ella Mai toured with Kehlani on her SweetSexySavage World Tour.{{cite web|url=http://earmilk.com/2017/03/20/dj-mustard-signee-ella-mai-is-ready-to-be-a-household-name-in-rb-interview/|title=DJ Mustard signee Ella Mai is 'Ready' to be a household name in R&B [Interview] – EARMILK|date=20 March 2017|website=Earmilk}} After Mai served as the opening act on Kehlani's tour, her music reached a bigger audience and the song grew on radio airplay in the spring of 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/hiphop/ella-mai-bood-up-billboard-hit-blew-up-r-b-comeback/|title=How Ella Mai's Unlikely 'Billboard' Hit 'Boo'd Up' Exploded In Popularity A Year After Its Release|last=Johnson|first=Cherise|date=15 June 2018|website=Uproxx|access-date=16 June 2018}}
On 26 April 2018, she released a music video for "Boo'd Up" after it started to gain popularity.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8389217/ella-mai-bood-up-video|title=Ella Mai Premieres 'Boo'd Up' Video and Talks Debut Album: 'You Can Hear Growth'|website=Billboard.com|date=26 April 2018}} The song became her first top ten song in the US in the following month, deeming it her "breakthrough hit".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8458488/ella-mai-bood-up-top-10-hot-100|title=Ella Mai Scores First Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100 With 'Boo'd Up'|last=Zellner|first=Xander|date=30 May 2018|magazine=Billboard|access-date=16 June 2018}} Rolling Stone wrote that the single is "one of the biggest singles by a breakout female R&B singer in the past 10 years."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/ella-mais-bood-up-return-of-female-rb-singers-w520365|title='Boo'd Up': How Ella Mai Is Leading Female R&B Singers Back Onto the Charts|last=Leight|first=Elias|date=23 May 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=16 June 2018}} The single peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8460299/post-malone-psycho-no-1-hot-100|title=Post Malone's 'Psycho' Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Maroon 5's 'Girls Like You' Leaps to Top Five|magazine=Billboard|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=11 June 2018|access-date=12 June 2018}} and broke the record for the most weeks at number one of any song by a woman on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.{{cite magazine |title=Ella Mai's 'Boo'd Up' Sets Record For Most Weeks at No. 1 Among Women On R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8478283/ella-mai-bood-up-sets-record-rb-hip-hop-airplay-chart |magazine=Billboard}} On 14 August, she joined Bruno Mars on the 24K Magic World Tour after Cardi B dropped out.{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/bruno-mars-replaces-cardi-b-with-ciara-boyz-ii-men-and-more-on-24k-magic-tour/ar-BBLWJ9K|title=Bruno Mars Replaces Cardi B with Ciara, Boyz II Men and More on 24K Magic Tour|website=www.msn.com|language=en-US|access-date=15 August 2018}}
On 3 August, she released the single "Trip", with an accompanied music video releasing on 18 September.{{cite magazine |title=Ella Mai Is Lovestruck on Her New Single 'Trip' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8468604/ella-mai-new-song-trip |magazine=Billboard}} The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ella Mai released her self-titled debut album, a 16-track set featuring "Boo'd Up", on 12 October 2018, with guest appearances from Chris Brown, John Legend, and H.E.R.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8479631/ella-mai-debut-album-stream-it-now|title=Ella Mai's Debut Album Is Here: Stream It Now|magazine=Billboard|date=12 October 2018}} The album sold 69,000 album-equivalent units with 17,000 coming from pure sales.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8480932/a-star-is-born-soundtrack-second-week-no-1-billboard-200|title='A Star Is Born' Soundtrack Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart|magazine=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=21 October 2018}} On 22 October 2018, Mai announced her debut tour set to begin in January 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8481003/ella-mai-tour-dates|title=Ella Mai Announces The Debut Tour: See the Dates|website=Billboard.com|access-date=27 November 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://thesource.com/2018/10/23/ella-mai-announces-her-2019-the-debut-tour/|title=Ella Mai Announces Her 2019 'The Debut Tour' – The Source|date=23 October 2018|website=Thesource.com|access-date=27 November 2018}}
In November, she made two guest appearances on JID's song "Tiiied", along with 6lack and on Meek Mill's song "24/7", on the albums Dicapiro 2 and Championships respectively. On 18 November, she performed on Saturday Night Live with Jezebel describing Mai as "Pure '90s R&B Heartthrob".{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/11/ella-mai-performs-trip-bood-up-on-snl-watch/|title=Ella Mai Performs "Trip" and "Boo'd Up" on 'SNL': Watch|date=18 November 2018|website=Spin.com|access-date=27 November 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://jezebel.com/on-saturday-night-live-ella-mai-is-pure-90s-r-b-heartt-1830523774|title=On Saturday Night Live, Ella Mai is Pure '90s R&B Heartthrob|first=Emily|last=Alford|website=Jezebel.com|date=18 November 2018 |access-date=27 November 2018}}
Mai was also nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Song of the Year with "Boo'd Up", winning for the former.{{cite web |title=ELLA MAI NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY AWARD |url=https://www.bimm.ie/news/ella-mai-nominated-for-grammy-award/ |website=BIMM |access-date=5 January 2019}} "Boo'd Up" would go onto to win the 2019 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Song.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8509655/billboard-music-awards-2019-winners-list|title=2019 Billboard Music Awards Winners: The Complete List|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2 May 2019}} In 2019, Mai won the Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Artist and Top Female R&B Artist.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8509655/billboard-music-awards-2019-winners-list|title=2019 Billboard Music Awards Winners: The Complete List|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2 May 2019}}
Apart from her music, Mai also performed a sketch on Nickelodeon's All That (which aired on 27 July 2019) called "Boo'd Up", a paranormal parody of The Dating Game, in which she played herself as a contestant looking for a ghost to haunt her family home, but instead of choosing the three suitors offered, she chose her former ghost who came back and she forgave him.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3ykhsid2iI Ella Mai Gets 'Boo'd Up' by Ghosts on All That!] from YouTube (27 July 2019)
=2020–present: ''Heart on My Sleeve''=
In 2020, Mai received her third nomination for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for her self-titled debut at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
On 2 October 2020, Mai released the single, "Not Another Love Song". On Friday, 28 January 2022, she released "DFMU". On 28 March 2022 Mai announced the title of her second studio album Heart on My Sleeve which was released on 6 May 2022. the album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 making it her second top 20 on the chart.
Personal life
In 2024, Mai and basketball player Jayson Tatum had their first child together.{{cite web|url=https://www.marca.com/en/basketball/nba/boston-celtics/2024/08/11/66b8edbb268e3ed9698b45a6.html|work=Marca|title=Jayson Tatum celebrates the birth of his second child, continuing an exceptional 2024|date=August 11, 2024|accessdate=September 24, 2024}}
Artistry
In multiple interviews, Ella Mai names Lauryn Hill, Chris Brown, Brandy, Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, and Mariah Carey as her biggest influences.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2017/10/01/chris-brown-previews-ella-mai-collaboration/|title=Chris Brown Previews Ella Mai Collaboration|website=Rap-up.com}} Vibe said her "perception of the powerful emotion is kindred to R&B heartthrobs of the '90s, who flooded the radio airwaves with soulful ballads, baby-making tunes, and heart-wrenching break-up anthems."{{cite news|url=https://www.vibe.com/amp/2018/02/ella-mai-interview-next|title=NEXT: Ella Mai Is Bringing Confidence Back To R&B Love Songs|date=26 February 2018|website=Vibe.com|first=Jessica|last=McKinney|access-date=29 April 2019 }} Rolling Stone described her sound as "a British émigré full of self-confidence and an affinity for classic Nineties R&B."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/10-new-artists-you-need-to-know-june-2017-w484147/ella-mai-w484212|title=10 New Artists You Need to Know Now|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 2017}}
Discography
{{main|Ella Mai discography}}
- Ella Mai (2018)
- Heart on My Sleeve (2022)
Tours
=Headlining=
- The Debut Tour (2019–2020)
- Heart On My Sleeve Tour (2023)
=Opening act=
- Kehlani – SweetSexySavage Tour (2017)
- Ariana Grande – Sweetener World Tour (European Leg) (2019)
- Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous Tour (2022)
Awards and nominations
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.ellamai.com/}}
- {{allmusic}}
{{Ella Mai}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Ella Mai
|list =
{{Grammy Award for Best R&B Song}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song}}
}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ella Mai}}
Category:21st-century Black British women singers
Category:21st-century British women singers
Category:British hip-hop singers
Category:British contemporary R&B singers
Category:English women singer-songwriters
Category:English singer-songwriters
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:Interscope Records artists
Category:The X Factor (British TV series) contestants
Category:Universal Music Group artists
Category:British women hip-hop musicians