J Holliday grew up listening to the soulful sounds and social consciousness of Marvin Gaye. He learnt his harmonies from the likes of Boyz II Men. Its music which became a part of his life and he knew from a very early age he wanted to pursue music as a career. While his mother was a preacher she ensured he finished his education.

J. Holliday – The New Kid On The Rnb Block

Early Years

J Holliday grew up listening to the soulful sounds and social consciousness of Marvin Gaye. He learnt his harmonies from the likes of Boyz II Men. Its music which became a part of his life and he knew from a very early age he wanted to pursue music as a career. While his mother was a preacher she ensured he finished his education. He attended church and also went to several schools where it soon became apparent that J Holliday had a talent for music. Born Nahum Grymes in Washington DC

He skipped college must the chagrin of his mother. He went to the studios to record demos as he was desperate to get signed by a record label.

The Breakthrough  

J Holliday signed with the recording industry giant Capitol Records by 2006. He started recording his first single with Rodney Jenkins who has produced artists like Jennifer Lopez and Babyface. The result was “Be With Me” released at the end of 2006, however the single failed to chart the Hot 100 Singles charts and only managed to peak at No. 83 on the RnB singles charts. The record company decided that it was not the right time to release a full fledged album. Therefore the album release date was pushed back to late 2007.

J Holliday put the disappointment behind and started recording his second single. The single titled “Bed”. The single debut on the Billboard Hot 100 charts peaking at No.5 and it reached No.1 on the RnB charts. Capitol records aggressively pushed the single and the accompanying video received heavy airplay. The success gave back confidence to record label and J Holliday released the debut album “Back of My Lac’” in Oct 2007.

The third single “Suffocate” reached No.18 on the Hot 100 charts and No.2 on the RnB charts. The album received average good reviews and was certified Gold in the US. The album which also peaked at No.5 on the US Billboard charts and No.1 on the RnB charts. J Holiday also won a Grammy Award nomination for the Best RnB album and a Favorite RnB Male/Soul Artist at the American Music Awards in 2008.

The Sophomore

After the surprise success of his debut album, J Holliday started recording his second album in 2008. The album “Round 2” was produced by The-Dream. It received better critical acclaim than its predecessor. It debut at No.2 on the RnB charts and No.4 on the US Billboard. The single “It’s Yours” was a minor hit and reached No. 25 o the RnB charts. The album has sold 300,000 copies in the US.

• Did You Know: J Holliday’s actual name has a biblical reference and his family roots come from the African country of Eritrea

• Did You Know: His father died when he was only 11 years old and he was brought up by his preacher mother

• Did You Know: J Holliday has collaborated with rap artists like Busta Rhymes, Keyshia Cole and Lloyd.

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