Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development deal with Warner Bros. Records, she was asked by veteran producer Quincy Jones to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995), earning her Grammy Award nominations for their collaboration on "You Put a Move on My Heart" and "Slow Jams". Her self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and followed by a series of successful albums with Elektra Records, including A Nu Day (2000) and More (2004). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including "So Into You", "Stranger in My House" and "Imagination" as well as her collaborations "Into You", "Missing You" and "Spend My Life with You".
Tamia is the debut studio album by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was released on April 14, 1998 on Quincy Jones's Qwest Records, while distribution was handled through Warner Bros. Recorded after the release of her Grammy Award-nominated collaborations with Jones and the single "Missing You", her contribution to the soundtrack of the 1996 motion picture Set It Off, Tamia worked with a plethora of producers on her debut, including Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob, Mario Winans, J-Dub, Keith Crouch, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, many of which would become frequent producers on subsequent projects.
Between Friends is the fourth studio album by Canadian R&B singer Tamia. Her first project under her own independent label, Plus One Music Group, founded after her departure from Elektra Records in 2004, it was first released in South Africa on May 12, 2006, followed by a worldwide release in the fourth quarter of 2006. A departure from her third studio album More (2004). which included a diverse roster of collaborators, Tamia reteamed with frequent contributor Shep Crawford to work on most of the album, with its title referring to their working relationship and connection during the recording process.
A Nu Day is the second studio album by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was released by Elektra Records on October 10, 2000, following her transition from Qwest Records. A less ballad-driven collection of songs and more progressive approach than her debut effort, Tamia worked with a smaller number of songwriters and producers on the album, including Dallas Austin, Shep Crawford, Missy Elliott, Bink!, Errol "Poppi" McCalla, and Jazz Nixon, some of whom would become frequent collaborators on subsequent albums. As with Tamia, a cover version, DeBarge's 1983 single "Love Me in a Special Way", was also recorded for the album.
More is the third studio album by Canadian R&B recording artist Tamia. It was released by Elektra Records on April 6, 2004 in North America. Created over a period of three years, in which the singer gave birth to her first child, the album, initially titled Still, was indefinitely bumped from its original August 2003 schedule after Tamia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and forced to undergo treatment. With the illness in remission, she resumed work on the album later that year and arranged additional recording sessions with producers Poke & Tone, Spanador and R. Kelly to revamp parts of the album which saw her also reteaming with frequent partners such as Jermaine Dupri, Shep Crawford and Mario Winans.
Canadian singer and songwriter Tamia has released nine albums, and twenty-six singles. She began her career in 1995 as a protégé of musician Quincy Jones, who offered her the chance to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995). Selected as the album's first single, their collaboration "You Put a Move on My Heart" became a top 20 success on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song, along with their second collaboration "Slow Jams" and "Missing You", a song she recorded with Brandy, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan for the soundtrack of the 1996 motion picture Set It Off, was later nominated for a Grammy Award.
"So Into You" is a song performed by Canadian singer Tamia from her self-titled debut album Tamia (1998). It was written by Tamia, Tim Kelley, and Bob Robinson, with production helmed by Kelley and Robinson under their production moniker Tim & Bob. The song is built around a sample from "Say Yeah" (1978) by American soul band The Commodores. Due to the inclusion of the sample, its writers Lionel Richie and Ronald LaPreads are credited as songwriters. "So Into You" is a mid-tempo R&B song with lyrics describing the protagonist's feelings of love for her partner.
"Stranger in My House" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Tamia. It was written by Shae Jones and frequent collaborator Shep Crawford and produced by the latter. Initially helmed for fellow R&B singer Toni Braxton, it was left unused and later recorded by Tamia for her second studio album, A Nu Day (2000). Inspired by the surprise ending of the supernatural thriller film The Sixth Sense (1999), the strings-led, dramatic contemporary R&B ballad is about a woman who is confused with her partner's recent change in behavior and goes into denial about it.
"Me" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was written and produced by Shep Crawford for the singer's second album A Nu Day (2000), but it did not make into the final track list. However it was later included on her fourth studio album Between Friends (2006) and released as its second single in 2007, reaching number 29 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
New Life is the seventh studio album by American singer Monica, released by RCA Records on April 6, 2012. It marked the singer's debut release with the company following the disbandment of her former label, J Records in October 2011. A musical continuation of her commercially successful 2010 album Still Standing, Monica started working on the album only weeks after the release of the former. She reteamed primarily with frequent writers and producers, including Tha Bizness, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, and Cainon Lamb but also collaborated with new and upcoming producers such as a singer and rapper Rico Love, whose songs replaced much of her cousin, producer Polow da Don's original material.
Beautiful Surprise is the fifth studio album by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was released by her own label, Plus One Music Group on August 28, 2012 in the United States, with distribution handled by EMI and Capitol Records. Her first release since 2006's Between Friends following a longer hiatus during which she gave birth and raised her second daughter with husband Grant Hill, much of Beautiful Surprise was produced in the eight months leading up to the release of the album. A breakaway from her previous effort, Tamia consulted a wider range of musicians to work with her, including Claude Kelly, The Runners, duo Carvin & Ivan, Salaam Remi, and frequent collaborator Shep Crawford.
"Beautiful Surprise" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was written by Claude Kelly, Salaam Remi and the singer herself for her same-titled fifth album (2012), while production was overseen by Remi. The last song to be recorded for Beautiful Surprise, the R&B song has a breezy mid-tempo groove that is structured around a smooth synth. Lyrically, the song is an ode to her family, husband Grant Hill and her two daughters Myla and Lael, on which she sings about how happy she is to have experienced an unexpected but fulfilling love with a man.
Whisper a Prayer is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris. It was released on 8 June 1993 by 4th & B'way Records, her last for the label. Recording sessions for the album commenced in the spring of 1992 and concluded the following spring with Paris co-writing four of the twelve songs and producing one. Whisper a Prayer features writing and production from Narada Michael Walden, Rod Temperton and Terry Britten all of whom were top record producers at the time.
"Just Right for Me" is a song by American singer Monica, featuring guest vocals from rapper Lil Wayne. It was written by Monica and Lil Wayne along with Jocelyn Donald, and Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones for her seventh studio album Code Red (2015), while production was helmed by da Don. The song contains a sample of the 1968 song "Much Better Off" by American vocal group Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Due to the inclusion of the sample, its writers Warren "Pete" Moore and Smokey Robinson are also credited as songwriters.
"Sandwich and a Soda" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia, recorded for her sixth studio album Love Life (2015). It was written by Tamia, Stephen Mostyn, Autoro Whitfield, Alicia Renee Williams, Warren Felder, and Andrew Wansel, with production helmed by Felder and Wansel under their production moniker Pop & Oak. An energetic and upbeat R&B song that talks about a woman's desire to cater to the male love interest of her life, "Sandwich and a Soda" contains a heavy electric bass and slightly squealing organ hits in its instrumentation.
"Stuck with Me" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was written by Rachel Assil, Kesia Hollins and Jamal Jones for her sixth studio album Love Life (2015), while production was helmed by Jones under his production moniker Polow da Don. "Stuck with Me" is a silky, romantic R&B slow jam in which the singer professes her undying love for her significant other. Musically, the light and airy groove is built upon a liquid, pulsing bass line over which Tamia sings with smoky vocals, also making use of her falsetto range.
Code Red is the eighth studio album by American singer Monica. It was released on December 18, 2015, by RCA Records and coincided with the twentieth release anniversary of her debut album Miss Thang (1995). For the project, Monica reteamed with her cousin Polow da Don, who had co-executive produced her previous album New Life (2012). The pair enlisted a variation of producers and songwriters to work with her, including Danja, DJ HardWork, Fatboi, KEYZBABY, Pop & Oak, and Timbaland – in addition to longtime collaborators such as performers Missy Elliott and Akon, and songwriters Crystal Nicole and Johntá Austin.
Passion Like Fire is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer Tamia. It was released on September 7, 2018 through Plus One Music Group and 21 Entertainment. Her first project to be distributed by eOne Music, its release marked twenty years since the release of her solo debut single "Imagination" and its eponymous parent album. A breakaway from her previous album Love Life (2015), the singer worked with a smaller team of collaborators on the album, involving longtime contributors Shep Crawford and Salaam Remi as well as songwriters Lundon Knighten and Jonas Myrin and chief producer Lil' Ronnie and his team.
"Leave It Smokin'" is a song by Canadian singer Tamia. Inspired by New York summertime music, Tamia wrote the song alongside frequent collaborators Alicia Renee Williams and Salaam Remi for her seventh studio album Passion Like Fire (2018); its production was handled by Remi. A throw-back to 1990s music, the uptempo R&B song exhibits elements of 1990s funk, soul, and dance music. Built on a stoic, snare-heavy retro break beat and a smooth, rhythmic groove, the song's instrumentation includes moody synthesizers, keyboard tones, and drums. Lyrically, "Leave It Smokin'" finds the singer looking for passions in her lover to fuel her needs.
"It's Yours" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was written by Tamia along with Jeremiah Bethea, Ronnie Jackson, Philip Lynah Jr., Benjamin "King BNJMN" Singh-Reynolds, and Omar "Major Seven" Walker, and produced by Lil' Ronnie, Major Seven, and King BNJMN for her seventh studio album Passion Like Fire (2018). A sultry mid-tempo groove, "It's Yours" is a R&B slow-jam that features an instrumentation consisting of piano, synthesizers, thumping bass and hi-hat. Lyrically, it has the singer talking about being ready for an erotic encounter.
