Ella Mai

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Ella Mai
Ella Mai 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg
Ella Mai at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Background information
Birth nameElla Mai Howell
Born (1994-11-03) 3 November 1994 (age 30)
London, England
Genres R&B [1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2014–present
Labels
Formerly ofArize
Website ellamai.com

Ella Mai Howell (born 3 November 1994) is an English R&B singer-songwriter. Her musical career began at London's British and Irish Modern Music Institute in 2014, during which time she auditioned as part of a trio on the 11th season of The X Factor . In 2015, she released her debut four-track solo extended play (EP), Troubled in October of that year. The EP and her performances on social media were discovered by American record producer DJ Mustard, who signed Mai to his record label 10 Summers Records, an imprint of Interscope Records.

Contents

From 2016 to 2018, she released three additional EPs on the label, including Time, Change, and Ready . Her self-titled debut studio album (2018) was preceded by the singles "Boo'd Up" and "Trip", which peaked at numbers five and 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. The former won Best R&B Song and a nomination for Song of the Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, while Mai herself was a nominee for British Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards 2019. [2] That same year, she won three awards at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, including Top R&B Artist. Her second studio album, Heart on My Sleeve (2023) failed to reach the UK Albums Chart, but performed moderately on the US Billboard 200. [3] [4]

Early life and education

Ella Mai was born on 3 November 1994 to a Jamaican mother and an English-Irish father [5] in London. Her mother, a lover of American jazz music, named her after Ella Fitzgerald. [6] Mai moved from London to New York City at the age of 12 when her mother took on a teaching job there. Mai's transition to life in New York City was difficult because she was often bullied for her accent. [7] Mai graduated from Queens High School of Teaching in Glen Oaks, Queens, before returning to England aged 17. [5] [8]

Career

Ella Mai's singing career began studying at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute London (BIMM London) in 2014. During that time she competed on series 11 of The X Factor as part of a trio, 'Arize', but didn't advance beyond the initial audition for the judges. The group broke up shortly thereafter.

2015–2019: Self-titled debut album

During 2015, Ella Mai uploaded a four-track solo EP of original recorded songs to SoundCloud titled Troubled. After its release, Mai was discovered on Instagram and signed to American hip hop producer DJ Mustard's label, 10 Summers Records, which operates as part of Interscope Records. [9] In February 2016, she released Time, the first in her EP trilogy. The six-track EP included the single "She Don't", which featured Mustard's frequent collaborator, singer Ty Dolla Sign. [10] She released her second EP, Change, in November 2016 and third, Ready , in February 2017. [11] "Boo'd Up", which was featured on the EP, rose in popularity on social media as well as in nightclubs over the next few months. [12] Ella Mai toured with Kehlani on her SweetSexySavage World Tour. [13] After Mai served as the opening act on Kehlani's tour, her music reached a bigger audience and the song grew on radio airplay in the spring of 2018. [14]

Ella Mai in 2017. Ella Mai 2017.png
Ella Mai in 2017.

On 26 April 2018, she released a music video for "Boo'd Up" after it started to gain popularity. [15] The song became her first top ten song in the US in the following month, deeming it her "breakthrough hit." [16] Rolling Stone wrote that the single is "one of the biggest singles by a breakout female R&B singer in the past 10 years." [17] The single peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, [18] and broke the record for the most weeks at number one of any song by a woman on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. [19] On 14 August, she joined Bruno Mars on the 24K Magic World Tour after Cardi B dropped out. [20]

On 3 August, she released the single "Trip", with an accompanied music video releasing on 18 September. [21] The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ella Mai released her self-titled debut album, a 16-track set featuring "Boo'd Up", on 12 October 2018, with guest appearances from Chris Brown, John Legend, and H.E.R. [22] The album sold 69,000 album-equivalent units with 17,000 coming from pure sales. [23] On 22 October 2018, Mai announced her debut tour set to begin in January 2019. [24] [25] In November, she made two guest appearances on JID's song "Tiiied", along with 6lack and on Meek Mill's song "24/7", on the albums Dicapiro 2 and Championships respectively. On 18 November, she performed on Saturday Night Live with Jezebel describing Mai as "Pure '90s R&B Heartthrob". [26] [27]

Mai was also nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Song of the Year with "Boo'd Up", winning for the former. [28] "Boo'd Up" would go onto to win the 2019 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Song. [29] In 2019, Mai won the Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Artist and Top Female R&B Artist. [30] Apart from her music, Mai also performed a sketch on Nickelodeon's All That (which aired on 27 July 2019) called "Boo'd Up", a paranormal parody of The Dating Game , in which she played herself as a contestant looking for a ghost to haunt her family home, but instead of choosing the three suitors offered, she chose her former ghost who came back and she forgave him. [31]

2020–present: Heart on My Sleeve

In 2020, Mai received her third nomination for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for her self-titled debut at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

On 2 October 2020, Mai released the single, "Not Another Love Song". [32] On Friday, 28 January 2022, she released "DFMU". On 28 March 2022 Mai announced the title of her second studio album Heart on My Sleeve which was released on 6 May 2022. the album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 making it her second top 20 on the chart.

Personal life

In 2024, Mai and basketball player Jayson Tatum had their first child together. [33]

Artistry

In multiple interviews, Ella Mai names Lauryn Hill, Chris Brown, Brandy, Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, and Mariah Carey as her biggest influences. [34] Vibe said her "perception of the powerful emotion is kindred to R&B heartthrobs of the '90s, who flooded the radio airwaves with soulful ballads, baby-making tunes, and heart-wrenching break-up anthems." [35] Rolling Stone described her sound as "a British émigré full of self-confidence and an affinity for classic Nineties R&B." [36]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales, and certifications
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[37] 		AUS
[38] 		BEL
(FL)
[39] 		CAN
[40] 		IRE
[41] 		NLD
[42] 		NZ
[43] 		US
[44] 		US
R&B/
HH
[45] 		US
R&B
[46]
Ella Mai 1819941655317541
Heart on My Sleeve
  • Released: 6 May 2022
  • Label: 10 Summers, Interscope
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming
———————1592

EPs

List of extended plays with selected details and chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
CAN
[53] 		US
[54] 		US
R&B
/HH
[55] 		US
R&B
[56] 		US
Heat.
[57]
Time
  • Released: 15 February 2016 [58]
  • Label: 10 Summers
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
—————
Change
  • Released: 18 November 2016 [59]
  • Label: 10 Summers
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
——35206
Ready
  • Released: 22 February 2017 [60]
  • Label: 10 Summers
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
862915325
3
  • Released: 3 November 2024
  • Label: 10 Summers, Interscope
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
—————
"—" denotes items which failed to chart.

Singles

As lead artist

TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[37] 		AUS
[61] 		CAN
[62] 		IRE
[63] 		NZ
[64] 		US
[65] 		US
R&B
/HH
[66] 		US
R&B
[67] 		US
R&B/HH
Airplay
[68] 		US
Adult
R&B
[69]
"She Don't" [70]
(featuring Ty Dolla Sign)		2016——————————Time
"10,000 Hours"2017——————————
  • RIAA: Platinum [51]
Change
"Lay Up" [71] ——————————
"Naked" [72] ———————17——
  • BPI: Silver [48]
  • ARIA: Platinum [73]
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum [51]
Ella Mai
"Boo'd Up"201852464385854111
  • BPI: Gold [48]
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum [73]
  • MC: 2× Platinum [50]
  • RIAA: 8× Platinum [51]
  • RMNZ: Gold [74]
Ready and Ella Mai
"Trip" [75] 476378—22116111
  • BPI: Gold [48]
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum [73]
  • MC: 2× Platinum [50]
  • RIAA: 6× Platinum [51]
  • RMNZ: Gold [76]
Ella Mai
"Shot Clock" [77] 2019————— [A] 622735—
  • ARIA: Gold [73]
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum [51]
"Not Another Love Song" [32] 2020————— [B] — [C] 379122
  • RIAA: Platinum [81]
Heart on My Sleeve
"DFMU" [82] 2022————— [D] 8522351
"Leave You Alone"————— [E] ——22——
"How" [85]
(featuring Roddy Ricch)		————— [F] ——14——
"Keeps on Fallin'"
(with Babyface)		————— [G] ———142 Girls Night Out
"This Is" [88] 2023—————— [H] 421413—Heart on My Sleeve (Deluxe Edition)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
[37] 		UK
R&B
[89] 		NZ
Hot
[90] 		US
[65] 		US
R&B
/HH
[66] 		US
R&B
[67] 		US
R&B/HH
Airplay
[68] 		US
Adult
R&B
[69]
"24/7"
(Meek Mill featuring Ella Mai)		20186622215425—3—
  • RIAA: Platinum [51]
Championships
"What You Did" [91]
(Mahalia featuring Ella Mai)		201990—29——15136Love and Compromise
"Don't Waste My Time" [92]
(Usher featuring Ella Mai)		——19— [I] —13121Non-album single
"Jealous" [93]
(Kiana Lede featuring Ella Mai)		2023————————Grudges
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Promotional singles

TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[37] 		AUS
[61] 		NZ
[94] 		US
Bub.
[80] 		US
R&B
/HH
Bub.
[95] 		US
R&B
[67]
"Whatchamacallit"
(featuring Chris Brown)		2018846621317Ella Mai
"One Bad Decision"
(Mustard featuring Ella Mai and Roddy Ricch)		2024—————— Faith of a Mustard Seed
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted and certified songs

TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
NZ
Hot
[96] 		US
Bub.
[80] 		US
R&B
/HH
Bub.
[95] 		US
R&B
[67]
"Anymore"————Ready
"Good Bad"2018———18Ella Mai
"Sauce"20——23
"Everything"
(featuring John Legend)		23——14
"Gut Feeling"
(featuring H.E.R.)		3121911
"Close"————
"Put It All on Me" [97]
(Ed Sheeran featuring Ella Mai)		2019—22—— No.6 Collaborations Project
"Trying"2022———23Heart on My Sleeve
"Didn't Say"
(featuring Latto)		2022———24
"Sex Memories"
(Chris Brown featuring Ella Mai)		11——— Breezy
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart

Notes

  1. ↑ "Shot Clock" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 26 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [78]
  2. ↑ "Not Another Love Song" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 36 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [79]
  3. ↑ "Not Another Love Song" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at number two on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. [80]
  4. ↑ "DFMU" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 26 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [83]
  5. ↑ "Leave You Alone" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 39 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [84]
  6. ↑ "How" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 33 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [86]
  7. ↑ "Keeps on Fallin'" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 37 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. [87]
  8. ↑ "This Is" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at number 25 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. [80]
  9. ↑ "Don't Waste My Time" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number seven on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. [80]

Guest appearances

TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"10,000 Hours" [98] 2016 DJ Mustard Cold Summer
"Hit Me Up" [99] 2017 Chip League of My Own II
"This X-Mas" [100] Chris Brown Heartbreak on a Full Moon (Deluxe Edition): Cuffing Season – 12 Days of Christmas
"Talk to Me, Pt. II" [101] 2018 Craig David The Time Is Now (Deluxe)
"Tiiied" [102] JID, 6LACK DiCaprio 2
"24/7" [103] Meek Mill Championships
"Love Me Like That (Champion Love)"— Creed II: The Album
"Put It All on Me" [104] 2019 Ed Sheeran No.6 Collaborations Project
"Surface" [105] Mustard, Ty Dolla Sign Perfect Ten
"Piece of Me"2020 Wizkid Made in Lagos
"IYKYK"2022 Lil Durk, A Boogie wit da Hoodie 7220 (Deluxe)
"Sex Memories" Chris Brown Breezy

Tours

Headlining

Opening act

Awards and nominations

AwardYear [A] Recipient(s) and nominee(s)CategoryResultRef.
American Music Awards 2018 Herself Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B Nominated [106]
"Boo'd Up" Favorite Song – Soul/R&B Nominated
2019 Herself New Artist of the Year Nominated
Favorite Female Artist- Soul/R&B Nominated
"Trip" Favorite Song- Soul/R&B Nominated
Ella Mai Favorite Album- Soul/R&B Nominated
BET Awards 2019"Trip" Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award Won [107]
Billboard Music Awards 2019Herself Top Female Artist Nominated [108]
Top New Artist Nominated
Top R&B Artist Won
Top R&B Female ArtistWon
"Boo'd Up" Top R&B Song Won
"Trip"Nominated
Ella Mai Top R&B Album Nominated
BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards 2019"Boo'd Up"Winning SongWon [109]
Brit Awards 2019Herself Best Breakthrough Act Nominated [110]
Grammy Awards 2019"Boo'd Up" Song of the Year Nominated [111]
Best R&B Song Won
2020 Ella Mai Best R&B Album Nominated [112]
2023"Keeps on Fallin'" (with Babyface) Best Traditional R&B Performance Nominated [113]
iHeartRadio Music Awards 2019HerselfBest New R&B ArtistWon [114]
R&B Artist of the YearWon
"Boo'd Up"R&B Song of the YearWon
MTV Video Music Awards 2018"Boo'd Up" Song of Summer Nominated [115]
2019"Trip" Best R&B Nominated [116]
NAACP Image Awards 2019 HerselfOutstanding New ArtistWon [117]
Outstanding Female ArtistNominated
"Boo'd Up"Outstanding Song, ContemporaryWon
Ella Mai Outstanding AlbumWon
Soul Train Music Awards 2018 "Boo'd Up" Song of the Year Nominated [118]
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award Won
Video of the Year Nominated
Herself Best R&B/Soul Female Artist Won
2019 Ella Mai Album/Mixtape of the Year Nominated [119]
"Shot Clock"Song of the YearNominated
2020 "Don't Waste My Time" (with Usher)Nominated [120]
Best Collaboration PerformanceNominated

Notes

  1. ↑ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

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References

  1. ↑ "Ella Mai Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic .
  2. ↑ Daly, Rhian (12 January 2019). "IDLES, The 1975, and Dua Lipa amongst stars nominated for 2019 BRIT Awards". NME. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  3. ↑ Lynch, Joe (1 May 2019). "2019 Billboard Music Awards Winners: The Complete List". Billboard.
  4. ↑ "Ella Mai Unveils Tracklist for Sophomore Album, 'Heart on My Sleeve'". 31 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Chartbreaker: Ella Mai Can't Believe How Huge 'Boo'd Up' Has Become: 'I Have No Words'". Billboard.com. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  6. ↑ "Ella Mai Makes The Music That We Can't Stop Listening To". Nylon.com. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  7. ↑ "Ella Mai". en.24smi.org. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Robinson, Peter (9 February 2019). "Ella Mai: 'I don't know the last time an R&B artist was recognised at the Brits'". The Guardian . Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Ella Mai". Interscope.com. 24 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Ella Mai – Time EP – Download & Listen [New Mixtape]". Hotnewhiphop.com. 16 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Take Ella Mai's New 'Change' EP For A Spin". Vibe.com. 22 November 2016.
  12. ↑ Howard, Jackson (2018). "Ella Mai's Slow Burn". The Fader. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "DJ Mustard signee Ella Mai is 'Ready' to be a household name in R&B [Interview] – EARMILK". Earmilk . 20 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Johnson, Cherise (15 June 2018). "How Ella Mai's Unlikely 'Billboard' Hit 'Boo'd Up' Exploded In Popularity A Year After Its Release". Uproxx. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "Ella Mai Premieres 'Boo'd Up' Video and Talks Debut Album: 'You Can Hear Growth'". Billboard.com. 26 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Zellner, Xander (30 May 2018). "Ella Mai Scores First Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100 With 'Boo'd Up'". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
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