Deborah Cox | |
|---|---|
 Cox during an interview in February 2020 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1974-07-13)July 13, 1974 (age 51) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Website | deborahcox |
Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised inToronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist forCeline Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed toArista Records byClive Davis, releasing herself-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album,One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the popcrossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed withJ Records for her third studio albumThe Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.
Cox ventured into acting in the 2000s, making her film debut in the Canadian drama filmLove Come Down (2000) and her stage debut in 2004, in the title role in theBroadway musicalAida. She has since appeared in smaller films and several musical productions, including the horror-dramaJekyll & Hyde, the biographical musicalJosephine, the musical adaptation ofThe Bodyguard, and the 2023 revival ofThe Wiz. Cox's most recent studio albums,Destination Moon (2007) andThe Promise (2008), have been released through her own independent record label, Deco Recording Group. In 2017, her single "Let the World Be Ours Tonight" became her 13th number-one hit onBillboard'sDance Club Songs over the span of three consecutive decades.[1] In 2016,Billboard listed Cox at 23rd on its list of the Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists.[2] An eight-timeJuno Award nominee, she has won four awards and is often cited as Canada's top R&B artist.[3] She received her firstGrammy Award nomination forThe Wiz in theBest Musical Theater Album category.[4]
Cox was inducted into theCanadian Music Hall of Fame in 2022.[5]
Deborah Cox was born in Guyana, grew up inScarborough, was raisedCatholic, and attended John XXIII Catholic Elementary School andEarl Haig Secondary School.[3][6] She began singing on TV commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows including an appearance onTiny Talent Time.[7] She performed innightclubs as a teenager, and began to write music around the same time.[8] Cox entered the music industry in the early 1990s, performing as a backup vocalist forCeline Dion for six months.[3][9] In 1992, she also appeared onDevon's LP titledIt's My Nature on the track "That's A Friend." After receiving many rejection letters from Canadian record labels that claimed their "quota" had been reached, Cox moved to Los Angeles in 1994 with producer and songwriting partner, Lascelles Stephens.[3][9]
In late 1994, label executiveClive Davis signed Cox toArista Records. Featuring production fromDallas Austin,Keith Crouch,Tim & Bob, andKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, she released herself-titled debut album the following year. A middling commercial and critical success, the album peaked at number 102 on USBillboard 200 but emerged as a steady seller, eventually receiving a gold certification by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while goingplatinum in Canada. Lead single "Sentimental" entered the top five on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while follow-up "Who Do U Love" attained worldwide success, becoming a top twenty success in Australia, New Zealand and the US, also reaching the top ofBillboard'sDance Club Songs.[10] In 1996,Deborah Cox won Cox aJuno Award forBest R&B/Soul Recording at theannual award ceremony and earned her a Best Soul/R&B New Artist nomination at the1996 American Music Awards.
Cox contributed the non-album song "Things Just Ain't The Same" to the soundtrack to the 1997 filmMoney Talks. A dance remix of the song, produced byHex Hector, became her second number-one hit onBillboard's Dance Club Songs chart and was included on her second album, 1998'sOne Wish. As with her self-titled debut album, her sophomore effort was once again executive-produced by Davis, but featured more uptempo, contemporary R&B, and a slew of new producers and personnel to incorporate dance andclub music, includingMontell Jordan,Anthony "Shep" Crawford,Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, andDJ Quik.One Wish peaked at number 72 on theBillboard 200 and earned aplatinum certification from the RIAA, while reaching gold status in Canada. The album capitalized on thecrossover success of lead single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" which became Cox's most successful entry on theBillboard Hot 100, peaking at number two, and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks, making it one of thelongest stays at number two in chart history. The song also reached number one on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, spending a then record-breaking 14 weeks at number one, while the third single "We Can't Be Friends," a duet withR. L. Huggar, reached the top ten, with "It's Over Now" and "I Never Knew" become chart-toppers on theDance Club Songs chart.
AfterOne Wish, Cox collaborated with singerWhitney Houston on her single "Same Script, Different Cast" from the compilation albumWhitney: The Greatest Hits. Incorporating a backing track ofLudwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise" during the intro, it was released as a radio-only promo single and became a minor hit onBillboard Hot 100, peaking at number 70 while reaching number 14 onHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In 2000, Cox made her acting debut when she starred inClement Virgo's Canadian drama filmLove Come Down, playing anightclub singer. The film garnered eight nominations at the21st Genie Awards, including twoBest Original Song nominations for Cox's songs "29" and "Our Love". In 2001, Cox then recorded "Absolutely Not", for the soundtrack toDr. Dolittle 2 which became her sixth number one hit onBillboard'sDance Club Songs.
Cox's third albumThe Morning After was released in November 2002 onJ Records following a frustratingly long departure from Arista. It marked the Cox's first record underClive Davis's label, with Davis, once more serving as executive producer.[11] Keen to build on the success of her previous albumOne Wish, he enlisted the help of producers such asJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,Jermaine Dupri,Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, andShep Crawford as well as up-and-coming producersWarryn Campbell,Johntá Austin andAlex Richbourg to work with Cox. A blend of urban R&B and adult contemporary songs with additional dance/house tracks, it became her highest-charting album on the USBillboard 200 andBillboard'sTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums yet, debuting and peaking at number 38 and number seven, respectively. Commercially, the album was less successful than her previous album, however, though it produced two singles on the USDance Club Songs chart, including "Mr. Lonely" and "Play Your Part".[11]
In February 2004, Cox made herBroadway debut in theElton John-Tim Rice musicalAida when she replaced singerMichelle Williams in her role of the Nubian princess. Her four-month engagement earned largely positive reviews.[12] The same year, she recorded and released a dance remix of the musical's theme song "Easy As Life" as a promotional single.[13] In 2005, Cox starred in the filmsBlood of a Champion andLove on Layaway. Also that year, her voice was featured in the movieHotel Rwanda in the song "Nobody Cares". To sustain demand for Cox's club appearances, while focused on her family and new album projects, she released a dance single titled "House Is Not a Home" onNervous Records in January 2006. Later in the year, her song "Definition of Love" was used in the movieAkeelah and the Bee, but was not released as a single.
Between 2005 and 2006 Deborah recorded her fourth album, calledDestination Moon, arranged and produced byRob Mounsey. A tribute album tojazz singerDinah Washington, Cox noted it aconcept album that she had in mind for years.[14] Most of the album was recorded live with a forty-piece orchestra with Rob Mounsey arranging. Eventually released byDecca Records in June 2017,Destination Moon peaked at number three on theBillboard Top Jazz Albums. The same year, Cox co-starred alongsideGolden Brooks andDarius McCrary in Leslie Small's filmA Good Man is Hard to Find. Based on the musical stage play of the same name, the comedy depicts the story of three women who each undergo romantic crises that challenge their personal and spiritual relationships.[15] In 2008, Cox performed theCanadian national anthem at theNBA All-Star Game inNew Orleans, receiving rave reviews.[16] She also contributed the song "This Gift" to the soundtrack of the 2008 romantic drama filmMeet the Browns, directed byTyler Perry, and served as a supporting act onCyndi Lauper'sTrue Colors Tour 2008.[17]
Also that year, Cox finished work on her sixth studio albumThe Promise, released on November 11, 2008, through Deco Recording Group, Cox's own independent label, with distribution handled byImage Entertainment. A breakaway from her previous album, it marked her return to R&B music and saw her working with a wider number of songwriters and producers on the album, including The Avila Brothers,Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,Devo Springsteen,Big Jim, and Shep Crawford.[18]The Promise debuted at number 106 on the USBillboard 200, number 14 on theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and number 95 on theCanadian Albums Chart. Earning generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics,[19] it was nominated forR&B/Soul Recording of the Year at the2009 Juno Awards. The second single "Beautiful U R" marked her biggest hit since "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here," becoming a top ten hit in Canada, where it was certified platinum byMusic Canada, as well as her tenth chart-topper on theBillboard'Dance Club Songs. In support of the album, Cox joined forces with American R&B singerKenny Lattimore for the joint Timeless Promise Tour in July 2009.[20] Also in 2009, she was featured on the single "Leave the World Behind", a house track produced by four DJsAxwell,Steve Angello,Sebastian Ingrosso andLaidback Luke.[21]
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In 2010, it was announced that Cox would be joining fellow R&B singersKelly Price andTamia to form asupergroup.[22] While the trio recorded several tracks together, their joint albumThe Queen Project eventually failed to materialize due timing issues and label politics.[23] In 2011, Cox released the dance-heavy single "If It Wasn't for Love" through Deco Entertainment.[24] It became her eleventh chart topper onBillboard'sDance Club Songs and was to precede a new studio album which remained unreleased.[25] In September 2012, Cox gave her inaugural performance as the female lead Lucy in a revival of the musicalJekyll & Hyde which toured North America for twenty-five weeks. While the show enjoyed a limitedBroadway run only, Cox received positive reviews for her performance.[25] Also in 2012, she collaborated with rapperAkon on the song "No Labels", the official anthem of thesame-titled American bipartisan political organization.[26] The following year, Cox collaborated with DJ Paige on the non-album single "Higher". Released on March 18, through Electronic Kingdom Records, it became her twelfth number-one hit on the US Dance Club Songs chart.[24] In 2014, Cox was one of the performers at the opening ceremonies ofWorldPride in Toronto, alongsideMelissa Etheridge,Tom Robinson andSteve Grand.[27]
In 2015, she provided vocals for the made for television biographical filmWhitney, directed byAngela Bassett based on American recording artistWhitney Houston.[28] Cox performed all of Houston's vocals in the film, including "I Will Always Love You", "I'm Your Baby Tonight", and "The Greatest Love of All."[28] The same year, she released thedeep house-influenced "Kinda Miss You",[29] as well as the ballad "More Than I Knew" as singles.[30] Both were set to appear on her sixth albumWork of Art, initially announced for an August 2015 release through Deco and Primary Wave Music.[31] However, after several delays, the album remained unreleased.[32] In 2016, Cox played the lead role ofJosephine Baker in the Broadway-bound musicalJosephine, which chronicled the singer's life between the years of 1939 and 1945, and starred as Rachel Marron in the North American Tour of the musicalThe Bodyguard based on the1992 film of the same name. In support of the musical, Cox released the EPI Will Always Love You on Deco andBroadway Records, containing cover versions of seven Whitney Houston originals as well as Houston's cover ofDolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You."[33] In June 2017, she released an uptempo dance single "Let the World Be Ours Tonight" duringLGBTQ pride season on Radikal Records and Galactic Media. It marked her 13th single to topBillboard's Dance Club Songs.[1]
In June 2019, Cox performed atStonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1969Stonewall riots.[34] In November 2019, she released theRico Love-produced single "Easy Way" through Deco Entertainment. The song was expected to lead her yet-unreleased seventh studio album, initially expected to be released in late 2020.[35] It was followed by the Christmas single "Gimme Gimme Gimme Some Christmas" a month later.[36] In February 2020, Cox starred oppositeRoger Guenveur Smith in theBET+ television thrillerInfluence, an adaption ofCarl Weber's same-titled 2018 novel, portraying a big-name celebrity singer accused of killing her husband.[35] Also in 2020, she appeared as a guest host in an episode ofCanada's Drag Race and started a webseries titledCOXtales with Deborah Cox during the globalCOVID-19 pandemic.[37] In fall 2020, Cox released further two Christmas singles, the original song "I Really Don't Want Much for Christmas" and a rendition of theEartha Kitt song "Santa Baby."[38]
In 2020, Cox was appointed Executive Director ofAlpha Magazines, a U.S.-based lifestyle and entertainment publication.[39][40]
In 2021, Cox was added to the BET seriesFirst Wives Club during its second season, playing the role of musician Regina alongsideMichelle Buteau andJill Scott.[41] The same year, she co-starred as Wendy in theHBO Max post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction miniseriesStation Eleven,[42] and appeared on "Summe of Love," another collaboration with Israeli producerOffer Nissim.[43] In 2022, Cox was announced as an inductee into theCanadian Music Hall of Fame, becoming the first Black woman to be inducted.[44][45] Beginning in September 2023, Cox starred asGlinda in a US revival ofThe Wiz, touring nationally in advance of a March 2024 Broadway opening.[46]
Cox currently lives in Miami, Florida. She is married to her high school sweetheart and manager, Lascelles Stephens.[47] They have three children: a son, Isaiah (born July 1, 2003) and two daughters, Sumayah (born June 29, 2006), and Kaila Michelle (born February 23, 2009).[48][49]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Love Come Down | Niko Rosen | Nominated —Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Song ("Our Love") Nominated —Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Song ("29") |
| 2005 | Blood of a Champion | Sharon | |
| 2005 | Love on Layaway | Monique | |
| 2008 | A Good Man Is Hard to Find | Charlene | |
| 2020 | Influence | Savannah Kirby | |
| 2023 | This Time | Blue Mahoney |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Nash Bridges | Vanessa Swan | Episode: "Hit and Run" |
| 2020 | Canada's Drag Race | Herself | Guest host, Episode: "Not Sorry Aboot It" |
| 2021 | Ruby | Mrs. Thibodeau | Television film |
| 2021–2022 | First Wives Club | Regina Crowell | 12 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Station Eleven | Wendy | 5 episodes |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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