Macy Gray

On this week’s episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Macy Gray.

Born in Canton, Ohio, Gray took her stage name from a family friend who used to shoot pool at the house. She headed west to study at USC, then was dropped by her first label before her debut could come out and moved back home to pursue teaching. In 1999 she released On How Life Is, a multi-platinum debut that produced “I Try,” the song that won her the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001. Since then, she’s sold more than 25 million records across ten studio albums and has been inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in her hometown. Now she’s gearing up for a new album, The Trouble with the Truth, and a tour to match.

In conversation with Joel, Macy digs into what AI and streaming mean for working artists, what “Redemption Song” taught her about freedom on stage, growing up in a Canton steel-town family, and why her parents never saw a music career coming.

(0:00) – When Music Careers Were a New Idea
(1:04) – What 'Redemption Song' Means to Macy
(7:50) – Staying Sensitive in a Busy City
(10:18) – How the Music Industry Has Changed
(12:22) – Making Sense of an AI Future
(31:44) – Canton Roots and Midnight Radio
(40:42) – A Voice Like No Other
(47:01) – Acting, Streaming, and Album Plans

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