Oli Brooke Hafermann (born February 23, 1986) has been known since 2010 as Skylar Grey. Singer, songwriter, producer and model from Mazomania, Wisconsin.
In 2004, under the name Holly Brook at age 17, she signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. As well as a recording contract with the Machine Shop Recordings label of the American rock band Linkin Park. In 2006 she released her debut studio album Like Blood Like Honey under the aforementioned labels.
In 2010, Gray co-wrote Love the Way You Lie with Eminem and Alex da Kid. He subsequently signed her to the KIDinaKORNER label.
The second album Do Not Look Down was released in 2013 under KIDinaKORNER, Interscope Records. The album released four singles, including Eminem's single C'mon Let Me Ride.
The third studio release, Natural Causes, was released in September 2016. Gray has featured her vocals on several singles. Namely: Fort Minor Where'd You Go, Diddy Coming Home. Also: Dr. Dre I Need a Doctor, Bed of Lies Niki Minaj and the Glorious Maclemore.
The life and career of Skylar Gray
As a child, Gray performed professionally in a folk duet with her mother, Candice Cratelow, Generations.
Gray co-wrote Done With Like and She Said with John Ingoldsby and American actress Brie Larson for Larson's first and only album, In the end, from PE (2005). In 2005, Gray performed Where'd You Go and Be Somebody with Fort Minor.
Where'd You Go was released as a single on April 14, 2006. A music video followed soon after. The song was a commercial success and eventually peaked in the top 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also certified platinum by the RIAA.
Gray released her debut album Like Blood Like Honey (2006) through Warner Bros. The album peaked at number 35 on Billse's Heatseekers Albums chart. Gray managed to visit for the first time on concert tours with Jamie Cullum, Daniel Powter, Teddy Geiger and Duncan Shayk.
Through the Machine Shop label, Gray has been associated with Linkin Park affiliates Styles of Beyond and Apathy. She featured on the tracks Victim and Without Sorrow Tomorrow, from Apathy's second album Wanna snaggle? (2009).
The beginning of the formation of the singer Skylar Gray
Gray toured as part of Duncan Shayk's band. In 2009, Gray performed as a backing vocalist on the album Butterflies and Elvis by Eurovision entrant Johanna. In August 2009, under the name Holly Brook, she loaned her song It's Raining Again. As well as his image for the Ciao Water advertising campaign.
In early 2010, she performed in the theatrical version of Whisper House. She played one of the two main vocalists along with David Poe. On June 10, 2010, she self-released a seven-song extended recording of O'Dark: Thirty. The EP was produced by Duncan Shake and John Ingoldsby.
The formation of the singer (2010-2011)
Brooke later changed her stage name to Skylar Grey. When the singer lived in Oregon, she was not recognized as Skylar Grey. She traveled to New York to meet her publisher Jennifer Blakeman to ask for help.
Blakeman suggested that she work with English musician and record producer Alex da Kid. Gray contacted Alex via email. Alex da Kid sent Skylar some tracks she was working on.
Composer success Skylar Gray
The first song Gray wrote was Love the Way You Lie. She gave it to American rapper Eminem and Barbadian singer Rihanna. The version became a worldwide hit, taking 1st position in 26 charts, and was nominated for four Grammy awards.
Gray received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year for her contributions to Love the Way You Lie. Gray wrote the hook to all versions of Eminem and Rihanna's Love the Way You Lie. She recorded a solo version which was on the fourth EP The Buried Sessions of Skylar Gray (2012).
Alex da Kid signed a contract with Skylar Gray for release on the KIDinaKORNER label. In 2010, Gray also co-wrote the single Diddy - Dirty Money Coming Home. It became a significant commercial success. In 2010, Gray co-wrote the song Castle Walls by rapper TI and singer Christina Aguilera.
On February 1, 2011, American rapper and famous hip-hop producer Dr. Dre released the song I Need a Doctor featuring Gray and Eminem. The composition managed to take the 5th position in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. She received a double platinum certification from the RIAA.
In March 2011, Gray signed to Interscope Records through Alex da Kid's KIDinaKORNER. The singer has announced that she will release her single in the spring. In 2011, Diddy-Dirty Money performed Coming Home with Skylar on American Idol.
Gray released her debut single Dance Without You on June 6, 2011. The song later received a music video which was released on July 5. Dance Without You is featured in the 2012 film Step Up Revolution. The second single Gray and previously the title track of the second album Invisible was released to radio on 16 June.
2012-2014
On April 1, 2012, Gray appeared with Machine Gun Kelly to perform Invincible at WWE Wrestlemania XXVIII. She then made two vocal appearances on the band's album Slaughterhouse Welcome to: Our House (2012).
In 2012, Gray co-wrote the Russian-German electronic single Zedd 2012 Clarity featuring Foxes. Thanks to him, she received the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2014. On October 31, 2012, Gray announced that Eminem would be the executive producer of the new album. She changed the title from Invincible to Do Not Look Down.
On December 11, 2012, Gray released the album's lead single, C'mon Let Me Ride. It was produced by Alex da Kid and Eminem through digital distribution. The single was later released to radio on January 15, 2013.
In February 2013, CeeLo Green released Only You, which he co-wrote with the singer. She also contributed Slowly Freaking Out to the film album The Host (2013). In 2013, she contributed to will.i.am's fourth album, Love Bullets.
On April 7, 2013, Gray appeared at WrestleMania for WWE. In front of 80 "fans", she performed Coming Home with Sean Diddy Combs. Coming Home was one of the official songs for WrestleMania XXIX. Gray released her second single Final Warning on April 676, 16, Wear Me Out on June 2013.
This album was released on July 5, 2013. In its first week of release, the album peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard 200, selling 24 copies in the United States.
On January 20, 2014, Gray released the song Shot Me Down with David Guetta. The song charted in the top 10 in several countries. In March 2014, Hero with Kid Cudi was recorded for the film Need for Speed.
2015-2017
Gray confirmed on Instagram that her third studio album will be released in 2015. In February 2015, Gray released the Fifty Shades of Gray I Know You soundtrack. The song received critical acclaim from music critics and also peaked at #1 on iTunes in many countries.
In February, Gray confirmed that she had a song on the Furious 7 I'll Be Back soundtrack. In March 2015, she released her version of Addicted to Love on iTunes. She also re-released the song Words, which was removed from the iTunes Store in 2013.
On September 23, 2016, the singer released her third studio album, Natural Causes. It received mostly positive reviews and moderate commercial success. Before that, on September 25, 2015, Gray released a collaboration with indie rock artists X Ambassadors.
The song was announced as the album's first single. On April 1, 2016, Gray released Moving Mountains as the album's lead single. On May 17, it was announced that Skylar would be featured on the soundtrack with solo song Wreak Havoc.
The Natural Causes Tour
On August 15, Gray announced her album cover, track listing, and release date. It was later announced that the singer would embark on a 12-city tour to promote The Natural Causes Tour. In the fall of 2016, the artist went on her journey.
In 2016, she released her third single Natural Causes Come Up For Air (with Eminem). And also on September 22 - Kill for You, one of the songs on Eminem's album. The song peaked at number 68 on the Canadian Top 100.
On March 17, 2017, Kehlani and G-Eazy released the new single The Fate of the Furious, the soundtrack to the Good Life album. On November 12, 2017, the artist performed the song live with Eminem at the MTV Europe Music Awards, at Wembley Arena, London.
The rapper's full album Revival was released on December 15, 2017. December 15 also saw the release of The Beautiful & Damned by G-Eazy. In it, Gray co-wrote the song Pick Me Up.
2018 year
In an interview with UPROXX, Gray revealed that she is working on Skylar Grey's third album. Plans to include a cover version of the song Walk on Water, which was previously recorded by Eminem and Beyoncé.
