贾斯麦恩·苏利文

Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including two Grammy Awards from multiple nominations, a Billboard Women in Music Award, two BET Awards, and multiple NAACP Image Awards.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Sullivan signed with J Records and released her debut studio album, Fearless, in 2008. The album debuted within the top ten of the US Billboard 200, topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its singles, "Need U Bad" and "Bust Your Windows", became commercial successes, with the former reaching number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Sullivan followed with Love Me Back (2010), before taking a hiatus from music. She returned in 2015 with Reality Show, which received widespread critical acclaim and earned three Grammy Award nominations.

Sullivan's fourth studio album, Heaux Tales (2021), debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim. The project won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, while its singles, including "Pick Up Your Feelings" and "Girl like Me", received platinum certifications from the RIAA. Heaux Tales was expanded as Heaux Tales, Mo' Tales: The Deluxe in 2022, and Sullivan supported the project with The Heaux Tales Tour before performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl LVII in 2023.

Life and career

1987–2007: Early life and career beginnings

Jazmine Marie Sullivan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 9, 1987 to Don and Pam Sullivan. Her mother was 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.

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. 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"; 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.