Lenny Kravitz

Biography

Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album Let Love Rule×Let Love Rule5 September 1989 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Sittin’ on Top of the World3:162Let Love Rule5:423Freedom Train2:514My Precious Love5:165I Build This Garden for Us6:176Empty Hands4:437Fear5:208Does Anybody Out There Even Care3:439Mr. Cab Driver3:5110Rosemary5:2811Be3:1912Blues for Sister Someone3:0013Flower Child2:56 (1989) was characterized by a blend of rock, funk, reggae, hard rock, soul, and R&B, along with his subsequent releases.
Kravitz has had hit singles, including "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" (1991) and "Again×Again2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Again3:502Fly Away (live)5:453Always on the Run (live)9:554Again4:33" (2000), both of which peaked within the Billboard Hot 100's top ten. His other hits include "Let Love Rule" (1989), "Always on the Run×Always on the Run1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Always on the Run3:562Butterfly1:513Light Skin Girl From London2:434Always on the Run (instrumental)3:54" (1991), "Are You Gonna Go My Way×Are You Gonna Go My Way26 February 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Are You Gonna Go My Way3:322Believe4:553Come on and Love Me3:544Heaven Help3:115Just Be a Woman3:486Is There Any Love in Your Heart3:417Black Girl3:458My Love3:539Sugar3:5810Sister7:0511Eleutheria4:53" (1993), "Fly Away×Fly Away29 December 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Fly Away3:442Fly Away (live acoustic)4:033Believe (live acoustic)5:17" (1998), and "American Woman×American Woman1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1American Woman (single version)3:502Straight Cold Player (live)3:423Thinking of You (Hexum Dancehall remix)5:584Fields of Joy (live)4:20" (1999), all of which peaked within the top ten of the Alternative Airplay chart. Kravitz has won several awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, which he received four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most wins in that category, and setting the record for most consecutive wins in one category by a male performer. Kravitz has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and was ranked 93 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".
Aside from his music career, Kravitz has acted in films including Precious (2009) and the first two installments of The Hunger Games film series (2012–13). In addition, he also founded the creative studio Kravitz Design Inc. Kravitz was previously married to Lisa Bonet, with whom he has a daughter, Zoë Kravitz.

Early life

Kravitz was born on May 26, 1964, in New York City, the only child of NBC television news producer Sy Kravitz (1924–2005) and actress Roxie Roker (1929–1995). His mother came from a Christian family that was of African American and Bahamian descent. His grandfather was Russian-Jewish. Kravitz's paternal grandparents emigrated to the United States from Kyiv. Through his mother, Kravitz is a second cousin of television weather presenter Al Roker, as their grandfathers were brothers. Kravitz was named after his uncle, Leonard M. Kravitz, a private first class who was killed in action in the Korean War at the age of 20, while single-handedly holding off a Chinese attack, enabling most of his platoon to escape.
During his early years, Kravitz did not grow up in a religious environment. After a spiritual experience when he was 13, he started attending church and later became a non-denominational Christian. Kravitz grew up spending weekdays on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with his parents, attending P.S. 6 for elementary school, and spending weekends at his grandmother Bessie's house in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Kravitz began banging on pots and pans in the kitchen, playing them as drums at the age of three. He decided that he wanted to be a musician at the age of five. He began playing the drums and soon added guitar. He grew up listening to the music his parents listened to: R&B, jazz, classical, opera, gospel, and blues. He said, "My parents were very supportive of the fact that I loved music early on, and they took me to a lot of shows." Around the age of seven, he saw the Jackson 5 perform at Madison Square Garden, and they became his favorite performers. His father, who was a jazz promoter, was friends with Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Short, Miles Davis, and other jazz greats; Ellington played "Happy Birthday" for him on his fifth birthday.
In 1974, at the age of 10, Kravitz relocated to Los Angeles with his parents when his mother landed her role on The Jeffersons. At his mother's urging, he joined the California Boys Choir for three years, where he performed a classical repertoire, and sang with the Metropolitan Opera. He took part in Mahler's Third Symphony at the Hollywood Bowl. It was in Los Angeles that Kravitz was introduced to rock music, listening to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Kiss, Pink Floyd, and the Who, and he said he was "attracted to the cool style, the girls, the rock 'n' roll lifestyle." During his junior high school years, he was also introduced to marijuana; he has stated that he was a "pothead" during his youth. His other musical influences at the time included Fela Kuti, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Pharoah Sanders, and Miles Davis. Later influences came in the form of John Lennon and Bob Marley. Kravitz attended Beverly Hills High School, where he was classmates with Maria McKee, Nicolas Cage, and Slash. He taught himself to play piano and bass and made friends with Zoro, who would later become his long-time collaborator. His parents divorced in 1985.

1985–1990: Virgin Records and career debut

With record labels reportedly telling him his music was not "black enough" or "white enough", Kravitz decided to record an album on his own under the name Romeo Blue. Kravitz had met the recording engineer, keyboardist, and bassist Henry Hirsch in 1985 when recording a demo at his Hoboken, New Jersey, recording studio. The two shared an interest in using real instruments and vintage recording equipment, as well as a love of R&B, jazz, and rock. Kravitz would go on to collaborate with Hirsch on most of his albums. Kravitz began working on his debut album with Hirsch over the next year and a half, with Kravitz's father paying for the studio time. Kravitz met saxophonist Karl Denson and invited him to play on the song "Let Love Rule×Let Love Rule5 September 1989 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Sittin’ on Top of the World3:162Let Love Rule5:423Freedom Train2:514My Precious Love5:165I Build This Garden for Us6:176Empty Hands4:437Fear5:208Does Anybody Out There Even Care3:439Mr. Cab Driver3:5110Rosemary5:2811Be3:1912Blues for Sister Someone3:0013Flower Child2:56". Kravitz was so impressed with his playing that Denson played on much of the album. Beginning in the late 1980s, Denson toured with Kravitz for five years.
In October 1988, after completing most of the recording, Kravitz approached friend Stephen Elvis Smith, who had served as the music supervisor on Lisa Bonet's The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World. Smith had also worked with Kravitz's mother on the hit sitcom The Jeffersons. Kravitz urged Smith to manage his career and assist him in finding a record deal. In less than a month of shopping the recordings, five labels (Warner Bros, Elektra, Geffen, Capitol, and Virgin) were in a bidding war for Kravitz. Eventually, a deal was made with Virgin Records in January 1989, and signed by Virgin A&R executive Nancy Jeffries. The label was "excited" about the music he was making, music inspired by his relationship with wife Bonet and their new daughter, Zoe. On Smith's urging, Kravitz dropped the name Romeo Blue and reclaimed the Lenny Kravitz moniker. About his time as Romeo Blue, Kravitz said, "Ultimately, it got me back to myself. And when I finally did accept myself for myself, music started flowing out of me."
Kravitz released his debut album Let Love Rule in 1989, a combination of rock and funk with a 1960s vibe. Music critics were mixed: some felt Kravitz was a gifted new artist, others felt he was overpowered by his musical influences. The album was a moderate success in the United States, but became an instant hit outside of the US, especially in Europe. Lisa Bonet directed the debut music video for the title track, "Let Love Rule". Stephen Smith signed Kravitz with talent booking agency CAA, who soon were fielding offers for Kravitz, first on a club tour, and then in opening slots for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie. Having played essentially all of the instruments on the album, Kravitz had to quickly assemble a touring band to support the Let Love Rule release.

1991–2001: Popularity established

In 1990, Kravitz produced the song "Justify My Love" for Madonna, which he co-wrote with Ingrid Chavez. The song appeared on her greatest hits album The Immaculate Collection.
Kravitz separated from Lisa Bonet in 1991, amid rumors of an affair between him and Madonna. Kravitz has denied any infidelity. Kravitz and Bonet divorced in 1993. Kravitz produced the self-titled album Vanessa Paradis (1991) for French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis. He played most of the instruments and co-wrote most of the songs on the album.
In 1991, Kravitz released his second album, Mama Said×Mama Said1 April 1991 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Fields of Joy3:572Always on the Run3:533Stand by My Woman4:204It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over4:035More Than Anything in This World3:286What Goes Around Comes Around4:507The Difference Is Why4:538Stop Draggin’ Around2:399Flowers for Zoë2:4410Fields of Joy (reprise)3:5911All I Ever Wanted4:1412When the Morning Turns to Night2:5913What the Fuck Are We Saying?5:1414Butterfly1:52. The songs on the album were about Bonet and documented his depression over their breakup. The single, "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over", went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second single "Always on the Run×Always on the Run1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Always on the Run3:562Butterfly1:513Light Skin Girl From London2:434Always on the Run (instrumental)3:54", a tribute to his mother, featured Slash on guitar. "Stand by My Woman×Stand by My WomanSeptember 1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Stand by My Woman4:212What the... Are We Saying (live)5:203Always on the Run (live)5:184Flowers for Zoe2:44" and "What Goes Around Comes Around×What Goes Around Comes Around1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1What Goes Around Comes Around4:502When the Morning Turns to Night2:593Stand by My Woman4:19" followed. Sean Lennon co-wrote and played piano on the song "All I Ever Wanted".
His third album, Are You Gonna Go My Way×Are You Gonna Go My Way26 February 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Are You Gonna Go My Way3:322Believe4:553Come on and Love Me3:544Heaven Help3:115Just Be a Woman3:486Is There Any Love in Your Heart3:417Black Girl3:458My Love3:539Sugar3:5810Sister7:0511Eleutheria4:53 (1993), solidified his global popularity, with the title track topping both the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song's music video also earned him the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video for 1993.
In 1994, Kravitz recorded "Main Squeeze" with Teena Marie from her Passion Play album. Kravitz also made a video to pay tribute to Marie when she suddenly died on December 26, 2010. He recorded a funk-rock version of the song "Deuce" for the Kiss cover album Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved. The track featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and background vocals.
With 5 (1998), Kravitz won the first of his four consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999. In 1999 he produced and sang with Cree Summer on her solo album Street Faërie.
His cover version of the Guess Who's hit "American Woman×American Woman1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1American Woman (single version)3:502Straight Cold Player (live)3:423Thinking of You (Hexum Dancehall remix)5:584Fields of Joy (live)4:20" won him another Grammy at the Grammy Awards of 2000 and helped the Guess Who's song reach a new audience. Kravitz's version of the song originally came from the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and was added to 5 as a bonus track in 1999. Kravitz worked on two songs for Michael Jackson's Invincible album released in 2001; a snippet of "Another Day" was leaked, and the full version was officially released on the album Michael in 2010.
Kravitz released a Greatest Hits album in 2000. The single "Again×Again2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Again3:502Fly Away (live)5:453Always on the Run (live)9:554Again4:33" earned him his third consecutive Grammy for the Best Male Rock Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 2001.

2006–2009: Live Earth, charity work, and It Is Time for a Love Revolution

In January 2006, Kravitz contributed "Breathe" to absoluttracks, a project sponsored by Absolut Vodka. This song was re-mixed by ten musical producers and distributed via the internet. Kravitz appeared in the audience of Madonna's Confessions Tour (2006) during numerous shows. He later joined Madonna live on stage to play guitar on the song, "I Love New York", at the last of four Paris shows. Kravitz founded a design firm named Kravitz Design, stating if he hadn't been a musician he would have been a designer. Kravitz Design, focused on interior and furniture design, has designed residential spaces, as well as a chandelier for the crystal company Swarovski, named "Casino Royale".
On July 7, 2007, Kravitz performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth in Rio de Janeiro, making him one of three major international rock stars to perform two huge free concerts at the world-famous Copacabana Beach along with Macy Gray and the Rolling Stones. Kravitz had already played there on March 21, 2005, drawing 300,000 people on a concert of his own. The Live Earth concert, with eight other acts on the bill, including Pharrell and Macy Gray had an audience of 400,000 on the beach. Also in 2007, Kravitz released a version of "Cold Turkey" by John Lennon on the charity CD Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Kravitz also spent time recording his latest album, It Is Time for a Love Revolution×It Is Time for a Love Revolution1 February 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 27 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Love Revolution3:152Bring It On3:363Good Morning4:184Love Love Love3:225If You Want It5:096I’ll Be Waiting4:197Will You Marry Me3:448I Love the Rain4:449A Long and Sad Goodbye5:5910Dancin’ Til Dawn5:1011This Moment Is All There Is5:0712A New Door4:3913Back in Vietnam3:4514I Want to Go Home5:03Disc 21It Is Time for a Love Revolution0:282Let Love Rule4:153Mr. Cab Driver3:594I’ll Be Waiting0:235It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over4:046Are You Gonna Go My Way3:337If You Want It0:258Rock and Roll Is Dead3:249A Long and Sad Goodbye1:3610Fly Away3:4311Lady3:4812Love Revolution0:5013Where Are We Runnin’?4:36, released February 5, 2008. On September 25, 2007, the Fats Domino tribute album Goin' Home; A Tribute To Fats Domino was released. Kravitz was on the song "Whole Lotta Lovin'" along with Rebirth Brass Band, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, and Maceo Parker.
Kravitz made his feature film acting debut in Precious which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009.

2009–2011: U2 tour and Black and White America

In June 2010 it was announced that Kravitz would guest star on an episode of the upcoming season of Entourage.
In 2011 Kravitz was honored with one of the highest cultural awards in France when he was made an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French cultural minister Frederic Mitterrand in Paris. Kravitz stated he was "particularly touched" to receive the award in France as his success in the country pre-dated his success in the United States and still enjoys great record sales in the country today. Kravitz joined other American recipients such as Martin Scorsese, George Clooney, and Bob Dylan. On February 26, 2012, he performed at the Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500, the opening race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. A sample of "Are You Gonna Go My Way×Are You Gonna Go My Way26 February 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Are You Gonna Go My Way3:322Believe4:553Come on and Love Me3:544Heaven Help3:115Just Be a Woman3:486Is There Any Love in Your Heart3:417Black Girl3:458My Love3:539Sugar3:5810Sister7:0511Eleutheria4:53" was used in American singer Chris Willis's single "Too Much In Love", released on August 16, 2011.

2012–present: The Hunger Games films, Super Bowl performance, and further albums

Lenny Kravitz played the part of Katniss's creative stylist, Cinna, in the first two Hunger Games films, The Hunger Games released on March 23, 2012, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire released on November 22, 2013.
In 2014 Lenny Kravitz released his tenth studio album Strut×Strut19 September 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Sex3:552The Chamber4:573Dirty White Boots3:584New York City6:235The Pleasure and the Pain5:096Strut3:107Frankenstein4:358She’s a Beast4:439I’m a Believer3:1710Happy Birthday4:5711I Never Want to Let You Down4:3812Ooo Baby Baby3:4013Lift Me Out of My Head5:1614It Won’t Feel the Same4:22 on his own Roxie Records via Kobalt Label Services. In 2015, Kravitz performed alongside Katy Perry at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show.
During an August 2015 show in Stockholm, Kravitz experienced a wardrobe malfunction. His leather pants ripped open, exposing his penis.
As a designer, Kravitz launched a furniture collection in partnership with CB2 in 2015.

In 2015, he became a furniture designer for the first time ever, launching a collection of furniture products marketed under the label CB2 x Kravitz design through retailer CB2. The collection was apparently inspired by the 70s and by the work of Italian designer Gabriella Crespi.
The Raise Vibration world tour (2018) coincided with the release of his 11th studio album.
In April 2018, Kravitz signed with BMG Rights Management for a new worldwide publishing music deal to go with his new album Raise Vibration×Raise Vibration7 September 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1We Can Get It All Together4:412Low5:193Who Really Are the Monsters?5:204Raise Vibration5:275Johnny Cash6:186Here to Love4:437It’s Enough7:5585 More Days ’til Summer4:029The Majesty of Love5:4910Gold Dust5:0811Ride5:5912I’ll Always Be Inside Your Soul3:58, released in September 2018. BMG had acquired Kravitz's music publishing rights in 2013, as part of Virgin Music Publishing.

In 2023, Kravitz wrote and performed a song for the film Rustin titled "Road to Freedom". The song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. In December 2023, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists for the 96th Oscars ceremony, and "Road to Freedom" was included in the Best Original Song category. Kravitz won Music Icon of the Year at the 49th People's Choice Awards. In March 2024, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On May 24, 2024, he released his 12th album, Blue Electric Light×Blue Electric Light24 May 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1It’s Just Another Fine Day (In This Universe of Love)6:202TK4215:273Honey3:504Paralyzed4:285Human4:276Let It Ride3:367Stuck in the Middle5:118Bundle of Joy5:069Love Is My Religion3:4810Heaven4:4911Spirit in My Heart4:3412Blue Electric Light3:54, which was supported by a world tour with the same name.
In 2026, Kravitz appeared in his first video game acting role playing the villain Bawma in 007 First Light, lending his voice and likeness to the role of a pirate king who faces off against secret agent James Bond.

Photography and collaboration with Leica

Kravitz has partnered with Leica on two occasions: in 2015, a Leica M-P edition titled "The Correspondent", and again in 2019 with a Monochrom edition titled "Drifter". The 2019 collaboration also included a gallery of his own work, which was unveiled on May 24, 2019, and was on display at the Leica Gallery in Wetzlar Germany.

Kravitz Design

Kravitz Design is a New York City–based company founded by Kravitz in 2003. Kravitz Design focuses on commercial, residential and product creative direction and design.
Among its clients are the Morgans Hotel Group, Swarovski Crystal, and The Setai Group. Swarovski selected Kravitz Design in 2005 and 2006 to participate in their Crystal Palace Collection. Kravitz Design also envisioned a luxury recording studio for The Setai Resort and Residences in Miami Beach, New York, Paris, and New Orleans. In 2010, Kravitz Design collaborated with Flavor Paper wallpaper on the Tropicalismo Collection, a line inspired by Brazil's Tropicalia art movement of the late 1960s.

Personal life

In 1985, Kravitz met actress Lisa Bonet backstage at a concert in California. They were close friends for two years before beginning a relationship. In 1987, Kravitz moved back to New York City, to move in with Bonet. They eloped in Las Vegas on November 16, 1987, her 20th birthday. Kravitz, still known as Romeo Blue at the time, found himself in the headlines of tabloids. He and Bonet had a daughter, Zoë Isabella Kravitz, on December 1, 1988, who became an actress, singer and model. Kravitz and Bonet separated in 1991. They divorced amicably in 1993.
Kravitz dated French singer and model Vanessa Paradis from 1991 to 1996. He began dating Brazilian model Adriana Lima in 2001, and they lived together before becoming engaged in 2002. The engagement was called off in August 2003. Lima was featured in the music video for Kravitz's 2002 single "Yesterday Is Gone (My Dear Kay)". He briefly dated and was engaged to Australian actress Nicole Kidman from 2003 to 2004.
Kravitz identifies himself as a Christian in a religious sense "through choice" but stated: "I'm also a Jew. It's all the same to me." During another interview, he stated: "I'm half Jewish, I'm half black, I look in-between." He notes that spirituality "has been an important issue in [his] growth", citing his upbringing by parents of different faiths. Such spirituality is prominently featured in many of his songs, such as the lyrics on his album Baptism×Baptism12 May 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Minister of Rock ’n Roll3:372I Don’t Want to Be a Star4:283Lady4:184Calling All Angels5:145California2:396Sistamamalover4:317Where Are We Runnin’?2:438Baptized4:509Flash4:1510What Did I Do with My Life?4:0611Storm4:0012The Other Side4:5313Destiny5:0314Uncharted Terrain4:28, and a tattoo on his back that is inscribed with "My Heart Belongs to Jesus Christ". In 2011, he stated that his 2005 religious commitment to remain celibate until remarriage was unchanged. In a 2014 interview with Men's Health, however, he reconsidered his previous stance. In 2024, Kravitz reaffirmed his desire to remain celibate once again, stating that it was his father's infidelity that inspired him to make a change. "After the marriage [to ex-wife Lisa Bonet], I became more like him. I was becoming a player... I didn't like it. I didn't want to be that guy. So I had to tackle that and it took years... by taking responsibility. Discipline. Not letting my own desires take over." Kravitz stated in the same interview that he had not been in a romantic relationship for nine years at that point.
He owns a house in Paris, a farm compound in Brazil, and a trailer with the surrounding land in The Bahamas.
He follows veganism with a primarily raw vegan diet, and uses his land in Brazil and The Bahamas to grow his own food. PETA named Kravitz one of the Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities of 2022.

Legacy

A street has been named after Lenny Kravitz in Saint-Jean-d'Heurs, a rural commune of France.

General sources

di Martino, Dave. Singer-songwriters: Pop music's performer-composers, from A to Zevon, Billboard Books, 1994.
Gregory, Hugh. 1000 Great Guitarists: Rock, Jazz, Country, Funk ..., Balafon Books, 1994.
la Blanc, Michael (ed.). Contemporary musicians, Vol. 5, Gale Research, 1991.
Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness Publishing, 1992.
Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 5th edition, Watson-Guptill Publications, 1992.