Nicole Wray
| Nicole Wray | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Nicole Monique Wray |
| Also known as | Nicole, Lady Wray, Nikki Wray, Nicole Ray |
| Born |
May 2, 1979 Salinas, California |
| Origin | Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | The Goldmind Inc./Elektra, Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam, Dame Dash Music Group, Channel 7 Records/The Inc., Danizha, Inc. |
| Associated acts | Missy Elliott |
Nicole Monique Wray (born May 2, 1979), also known as simply Nicole, is an American R&B and hip hop singer. Her 1998 debut single "Make It Hot" was certified gold.
Wray was born in Salinas, California and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia. After being introduced to Missy Elliott, Wray was featured on Missy's platinum certified debut Supa Dupa Fly. When Elliott started her own label, The Goldmind, the then 17-year-old Wray was the first artist signed. She impressed Elliot with her singing skills.
In 1998, her debut album Make It Hot was released. Heavily criticized for Elliott's heavy-handed involvement (she produced, wrote, and performed on much of the album) the first single, "Make It Hot", peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified gold. Her second single, "I Can't See", reached number 36 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart. Her debut album Make It Hot peaked at number nineteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (number 42 on The Billboard 200) and dropped off by the end of the year. The third single, "Eyes Better Not Wander", peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Later that year, Wray would sing the hook to "All n My Grill" on Missy Elliott's platinum certified second album, Da Real World.
In July 2001, Nicole released "I'm Lookin'", the first single from her planned second album Elektric Blue. "I'm Lookin'" peaked at number 66 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but the album would eventually be shelved.
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