Teairra Mari Biography

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Teairra Marí (born Teairra Maria Thomas) is an American R&B/hip hop singer.

Early Life

Teairra Marí (born Teairra Maria Thomas on December 2, 1987 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African American R&B singer who was encouraged by her granmother who sang back up for Aretha Franklin to pursue a musical carrer. She began her career at age 12, recording in her cousin's basement. She soon caught the attention of Big Mike, Ed K and Helluvah of Detroit's K.I.S.S. Productions, which developed her from the age of 13 onward. Under Big Mike's guidance, Marí spent every free moment in the studio, working with some of the hottest producers and songwriters in the game, including Helluvah, Disco D, Big Mike, Chaz M, Detail, Lyriq, AK, and J.R. K.I.S.S. Productions arranged for Marí to collaborate with artists such as Ray J, J-Kwon, Lola Damone, and Bee and for Marí to appear on Detroit's Fox 2 Morning Show and UPN 50 Sports Rap. In October 2003, K.I.S.S. Productions released Teairra's first album, an EP called Get Away, which became a local sensation. Teairra attended Aaliyah's alma mater, the Detroit High School for The Fine and Performing Arts and was a vocal major, performing in many of the school's talent showcases. At the age of 16, K.I.S.S.' Big Mike felt that Marí was ready for the big time, and he brought the R&B starlet in front of a who's who of label execs. Candy Tookes, a friend of Big Mike, introduced the pair to industry veteran Daryl Simmons in Atlanta, Georgia. Simmons then shared Marí's K.I.S.S. Productions-produced demo disc with Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman of the The Island Def Jam Music Group. After hearing Teairra Marí perform live, Reid offered her a contract on the spot.

Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marí (2004-2006)

Marí worked with Jay-Z, in his first collaboration project since becoming president of Def Jam Records, to create "Make Her Feel Good" along with producer Sean Garrett, the lead single from her debut album on Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam that reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the R&B charts. It was heavily played on BET but barely on MTV. The second single "No Daddy" had a video that led to commercial success on MTV. The video spent sixteen days on Total Request Live, reaching number two. Shortly after she released her third single "Phone Booth" only to radio outlets and got a lukewarm response due to it not having a video and no promotion, she also made cameo apparences in various videos such as Biggie (Nasty girl), 3LW (Feelin You) Jay-Z (Show Me What You Got) and played the leading lady in Sammie's video for You Should Be My Girl as rumors came along that they were dating. Teairra Marí's first album, Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marí, was released on August 2nd 2005 and was produced by Brian Michael Cox, Darkchild, Cool And Dre, Blackout Movement, The Trackboyz, Kwame and was co exectutive produced by Sean Garrett. The album reached the #5 position on the Billboard 200 albums chart and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts while modeling and doing ads for the Roca Wear campaign. In 2005 through 2006 Teairra performed on shows such as American Music Awards, the BET Comedy Awards, TRL, 106 & Park, The Tyra Banks Show, etc. In 2006, Teairra Marí's first single Play Me was scheduled to be released in the fall but production was stopped in the middle of her second album entitled Second Round and she was dropped by Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records

Interscope/Fo'Reel Ent. debut (2007-Present)

In 2007 Marí signed a lucrative deal with Interscope Records and Violator but decided to split with Violator and land new management with Fo'Reel Ent under the wing of Cudda Love (the man responsible for Nelly's success). She was rumoured to be releasing the Jermaine Dupri produced single Wait a Minute which featured Bow Wow and Solange Knowles as the first single on Interscope Records in 2006. She is working on a new album that is rumored to be intitled "At That Point" and is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2009 with production by The Underdogs, Neff-U, The Movement, DJ Clue, Polow Da Don, Tony Dixon, Miscke, and Rico Love she also cowrote songs with Keri Hilson and Solange Knowles, no word yet on collaborations. The buzz single No No, produced by The Movement was released on June 1st to mainstream radio and digitally on June 17th, but was cancelled and now given to the R&B group Dear Jayne, also while other songs have been leaked such as "Find My Way Back", "The Truth", "U Said" and "Exclusive", "Built For This" is scheduled to be released as the official single on january first and is now availible on her myspace page. Teairra is the spokesmodel for the new jean line Jean Addicts set to launch later next year and she can be heard on Pleasure P's remix for his single "Did You Wrong" as well as a song called "Sidekick" by Detroit rapper Tone Tone.

Discography

Main article: Teairra Marí discography

Studio albums

• 2005: Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marí
• 2006: Second Round (Unreleased)
• 2009: At That Point

References

External links

• Teairra Marí at MySpace