Lauryn Hill is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and former member of The Fugees. By the age of 25, she had won eight Grammys. The peak of the singer's popularity came in the 90s.
Over the next two decades, her biography consisted of scandals and disappointments. There were no new lines in her discography, but, one way or another, Lauryn managed to maintain the status of one of the coolest artists who worked in the neo-soul genre.
Neo-soul is a new musical style that emerged from the development of traditional soul and modern rhythm and blues.
Childhood and adolescence Lauryn Hill
The artist's date of birth is May 26, 1975. She was born in East Orange, New Jersey, America. Surprisingly, Lorin's parents adored music, although their professions were far from creative. The head of the family worked as an ordinary computer consultant, and his mother worked as a teacher. Hill said the following about the family's musical orientation:
“We had a lot of records at home. We often listened to songs. My mother played the piano very well, and my father sang. My brothers and sisters and I were surrounded by music.”
It is not surprising that Lauryn's main childhood hobby was music. As a teenager, she realized that she wanted to work in the entertainment industry.
At the age of 13, she began acting in commercials and other soap operas. Her face increasingly began to flicker on television. Lauryn was very pleased to receive financial independence from her parents. By the way, the family at that time lived from paycheck to paycheck.
Some time later, she got a role in the television series As the World Unfolds. The characteristic role and the brilliant performance of Lauryn did their job. Influential directors drew attention to her. She soon landed a key role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
In the early 90s, the girl entered Columbia University. Lorin was sure that higher education is important for any person. She studied at an educational institution for a year, and then plunged headlong into creativity.
The creative path of Lauryn Hill
The talented native of New Jersey managed to fully unleash her creative potential as part of the popular American group The Fugees. The trio impressed music lovers with a frantic and perfect sound.
In the mid-90s, the band presented their debut LP. We are talking about the studio Blunted on Reality. The guys put big stakes on the collection, but, alas, the album "passed" by the ears of music lovers and did not live up to the expectations of the public.
The musicians did not lower their noses. They drew the right conclusions. Soon the premiere of the second LP took place. We are talking about the collection The Score. The album has sold over 15 million copies. The album made the team one of the most successful rap groups of the 90s. Lorin's old-school vocals became the main pearl of the record.
Despite the forecasts of music critics who predicted world fame for them, The Fugees broke up. However, for Lauryn Hill, everything was just beginning.
Solo career Lauryn Hill
The singer quickly "switched" and began to position herself as a solo singer. At the end of the 90s, the premiere of the debut album took place. The collection of the performer was called The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The album was imbued with vintage mood at its best.
Interestingly, the LP was recorded in the recording studio of the cult Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica. This work brought her a Grammy in five nominations. A wave of popularity hit Lauryn.
During this period of time, only the most backward Americans did not hum the Doo-Wop piece of music. By the way, the track soared to the first line of the Billboard 100.
The joy of the performer was not long. The triumph was overshadowed by the lawsuit. The musicians who helped Lauren mix the LP sued her. The guys accused the performer of not presenting them in the collection in the right way. The stars managed to resolve the conflict without bringing the case to court, but the singer's reputation began to roll down.
Creative break in the career of an artist
She announces to fans about her decision to take a creative break. At this time, she closely studies the Old Testament, hides from journalists and does not want to get in touch with the "fans". This was one of the most difficult periods in her creative biography. Her state of mind left much to be desired.
With the onset of the 2.0s, she returns to the stage and presents the live compilation MTV Unplugged No. XNUMX. Lauryn hoped for success, but the miracle did not happen. Fans and critics were quite surprised that the singer presented the musical material in a new style.
Many people did not like the changes. Some of the critics even went over the authority of the performer, noting that this is the worst album that could be recorded.
Hill began to doubt her own talent and abilities. Those musical works that the singer records in recording studios continue to "gather dusty" on the shelf. Lauryn hesitates to present her work to the public.
Only 10 years later, the artist again takes the stage. In one of the interviews of this time, Lauryn said that she finally understood the rules of show business. She noted that even 10-15 years ago she lacked support, but today, she knows exactly in which direction to move.
In 2013, the presentation of the single Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix) took place. Around the same period of time, she said that she urgently needed to present another work before the date of imprisonment in places of deprivation of liberty. For tax evasion, she went to jail and also paid a fine.
After the artist left prison, a new song was released. The track Consumerism was highly appreciated not only by music critics, but also by fans. The artist herself promised her audience to start recording a full-length album.
Details of Lauryn Hill's personal life
Lauryn Hill is a mother of many children. She gave birth to six children from the son of the deceased Bob Marley - Roana. The couple lived under the same roof for 15 years. Family relations came to naught after the model Isabeli Fontana appeared in Roan's life. By the way, she managed to maintain warm, friendly relations with her husband. He maintains family ties with common children.
Hill has always been sensitive to her own appearance. “I'm almost always late for meetings. It's important to me to look good. That's what the woman in me says." Lauren preferred complex and layered looks: in the 1990s it was denim, later - voluminous multi-colored items and turbans.
Interesting facts about Lauryn Hill
- In 2015, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was listed on the National Register by the Library of Congress, which deemed it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
- She managed to collaborate with A. Franklin, Santana and Whitney Houston. For female artists, Lorin wrote several hits.
- She has received numerous awards throughout her career, including 8 Grammy Awards, 5 MTV Video Music Awards, 5 NAACP Image Awards, including the President's Award.
- In the film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, she was lucky to work on the same site with Whoopi Goldberg herself.
Lauryn Hill: our days
In 2018, she skated the Miseducation 20th Anniversary tour. Fans sincerely rejoiced for their favorite performer, noting her chic appearance. On stage, she shone in things from the new collection of brands Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu.
In the same year, it became known that the soul singer created a capsule for the popular brand Woolrich, and also starred in advertising for the Fall-Winter 2018 collection.
Hill recorded a studio version of her song Guarding the Gates for the film Queen & Slim, which was released on November 27, 2019. Interestingly, she sang this track during live performances for several years before recording the film itself.
In 2021, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was certified Diamond by the RIAA, making Hill the first female hip hop artist. She managed to achieve the highest status.
