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Nona Gaye

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Nona Gaye
Born
Nona Aisha Gaye

(1974-09-04) September 4, 1974 (age 50)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
  • Singer
  • fashion model
  • actress
Years active1989–2009 (actress)
1992–present (singer)
Children1
FatherMarvin Gaye
RelativesSlim Gaillard (grandfather)
Marvin Gay Sr. (grandfather)
Alberta Gay (grandmother)
Frankie Gaye (uncle)
Musical career
Genres
Labels

Nona Aisha Gaye[1][2] (born September 4, 1974)[3][4][5] is an American singer, former fashion model, and retired actress. The daughter of singer Marvin Gaye and maternal granddaughter of jazz musician Slim Gaillard, Gaye began her career as a vocalist in the early 1990s. In film, she portrayed Zee in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003).

Early life

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Gaye was born in Washington, D.C., spending the first three weeks of her life in the capital of the United States.[6] She is the daughter of Marvin Gaye, a Motown singer,[6] and Janis Hunter, who managed her daughter's music career.[7] She was raised in Redondo Beach, California.[7]

After Marvin Gaye divorced Anna Gordy, Nona's parents wed in 1977 before ending their marriage four years later.[6] Her father was killed in 1984 by her grandfather Marvin Gay Sr. when Nona was 9 years old.[7]

As a child, Gaye had several aspirations, including ballet and gymnastics, but ultimately decided on a career in music during her teenage years.[6]

Career

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Music

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Gaye credits Billie Holiday, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Red Hot Chili Peppers as having influenced her music.[8] Her debut album Love for the Future[9] was released on Atlantic Records in October 1992, a month after her eighteenth birthday. It featured the top-20 hit "I'm Overjoyed,"[7] as well as the single "The Things That We All Do for Love." "I'm Overjoyed" reached number 17 on the Hot R&B Singles chart by November of that year.[10] In 1993, Gaye was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.[11] She signed to Ford Modeling Agency in 1994, and became the new face of Armani.[7] In 1995, Gaye sang the title track on a tribute album of her father, Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye.[12]

For three years, Gaye both collaborated with and dated singer-songwriter Prince.[13] During this time, she recorded at least four songs with him. A duet, "1000 Hugs and Kisses" and solo track, "Snowman," are thus far officially unreleased, but have managed to make their way into circulation amongst fans. Another duet, "Love Sign," was released on the 1-800-NEW-FUNK compilation album in 1994, along with another track with no Prince contribution, "A Woman's Gotta Have It." Gaye provided backing vocals on "We March" for Prince's 1995 album The Gold Experience, and on the title track to the Girl 6 soundtrack, released in 1996.

Gaye has candidly admitted that during this time she had experienced a long, personal battle with drug abuse, which she successfully overcame in 1996.[13] In addition to these projects, she starred in a Prince-produced European TV special called The Beautiful Experience, consisting of a loose storyline to promote new material from Prince (most of which would be released throughout the next few years).

She sang alongside other artists to re-record and release her father's single "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS research in 2001. She appeared with several celebrities in the music video for Luther Vandross' 2003 song "Dance with My Father", collectively filling in for Vandross who had suffered a stroke at the time.[14]

At one point, she worked with R. Kelly on two as-yet-unreleased singles,[15] "Work It" and "Just Because," which interpolates the Gap Band's "Oops Up Side Your Head." In 2008, three tracks by Gaye appeared for sale at AmieStreet.com in EP form. Titled Language of Love, it contains the tracks "Quarter to Three" and "Midas Lover," along with the title track.

Acting

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She began her acting career in 2001, debuting in Michael Mann's Ali as Belinda Ali.[16] A film reviewer described Gaye as "startlingly good" in the role.[17] Another viewed her as the best of the actresses who portrayed Ali's wives.[18]

The following year, Gaye replaced Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash shortly after the filming of The Matrix sequels began, for the role of Zee, the wife of Harold Perrineau's character Link.[19] Gaye was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for portraying Zee in The Matrix Revolutions.[20]

She also provided the voice of the unnamed Hero Girl in 2004's The Polar Express.[21] Gaye portrayed preacher's wife Charlene Frank in The Gospel (2005).[8] She appeared in Crash (2004)[13] and portrayed Lola, an ex-girlfriend of Ice Cube's character, in XXX: State of the Union (2005).[22]

In July 2006, Gaye was added to the cast of Law & Order: Criminal Intent as a replacement for Courtney B. Vance as the new Assistant District Attorney.[23] However, just as the series began production for its sixth season,[citation needed] she left the show, citing "creative differences." Gaye was replaced by Theresa Randle, who left after filming only two episodes.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Harlem Nights Patron
2001 Ali Belinda Ali
2003 The Matrix Reloaded Zee
2003 The Matrix Revolutions
2004 Crash Karen
2004 The Polar Express Hero Girl Holly (voice) Also motion-capture
2005 XXX: State of the Union Lola Jackson
2005 The Gospel Charlene Taylor Frank
2009 Blood and Bone Tamara Direct-to-video

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 The Polar Express Hero Girl
2005 The Matrix Online Zee
2005 The Matrix: Path of Neo Archive footage only

Awards/nominations

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Discography

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Albums

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Singles

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  • "I'm Overjoyed" (Third Stone/Atlantic, 1992)
  • "The Things That We All Do for Love" (Third Stone/Atlantic, 1993)
  • "Love Sign" duet with Prince (NPG, 1994)

References

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  1. ^ Michael Eric Dyson. Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye. Hachette. ISBN 9780786722471.
  2. ^ Frankie Gaye, Fred E. Basten, Frankie Gaye (April 2003). Marvin Gaye, My Brother. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781617744983.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Nona Gaye | Biography and Filmography | 1974". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  4. ^ "Nona Gaye". Discogs.com.
  5. ^ "Nona Gaye - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music". BBC. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d Harrington, Richard (November 8, 1992). "WHAT'S GOING ON WITH NONA GAYE? MARVIN'S DAUGHTER MAKERS HER RB DEBUT". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Bowles, Jennifer (May 21, 1993). "Gaye finds dad's legend a challenge to follow". Kentucky New Era. p. 7B.
  8. ^ a b Wilson-Combs, Lana K. (October 11, 2005). "Acting, singing the 'Gospel' truth for Nona Gaye". East Bay Times. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  9. ^ "Love for the Future - Nona Gaye | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  10. ^ "the hit list". Observer-Reporter. November 23, 1992. p. C-7.
  11. ^ "Gibson, Pfeiffer make beauty list". The Albany Herald. April 26, 1993. p. 2A.
  12. ^ Nicewonger, Kirk (October 19, 1995). "'ER' not likely to help 'Murder One'". Ocala Star-Banner. p. 3E.
  13. ^ a b c Ely, Suzanne (April 24, 2005). "Nona Gaye: What's going on". USA Weekend.
  14. ^ "'Bad Boys II' soundtrack adds to movie's success". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. July 25, 2003. p. D2.
  15. ^ Morales, Wilson (October 2005). "The Gospel: An Interview with Nona Gaye". Blackfilm. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  16. ^ ""Ali": Nona Gaye Interview". Hollywood.com. December 26, 2001. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  17. ^ Rickey, Carrie (December 27, 2001). "Smith's performance as 'Ali' commendable". The Cedartown Standard. p. 12.
  18. ^ Paredes, Andrew (March 7, 2002). "No thrilla in Manila". Manila Standard. p. 20.
  19. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (April 11, 2002). "Nona Gaye to Fill in for Aaliyah". People. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  20. ^ Susman, Gary (January 8, 2004). "Beyonce, Soul Food lead NAACP noms". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  21. ^ Clinton, Paul (November 10, 2004). "Review: 'Polar Express' a creepy ride". CNN. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  22. ^ Torre, Nestor U. (April 5, 2005). "Young comers in three new films". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A21.
  23. ^ "Channel surfing". Toledo Blade. July 24, 2006. p. D8.
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