Skylar Grey

Biography

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986), known professionally as Skylar Grey, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. In 2004, Grey signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group and a recording contract with Linkin Park's Machine Shop Recordings under the name Holly Brook. Her debut studio album, Like Blood Like Honey×Like Blood Like Honey6 June 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Giving It Up for You4:032Wanted3:563What I Wouldn't Give5:164Like Blood Like Honey3:345Again & Again4:186Curious4:157Saturdays3:028Heavy4:249Still Love4:2010All Will Be Forgotten4:1511Cellar Door5:28 (2006), served as her only release with the label.
In 2010, Grey co-wrote Eminem's hit single "Love the Way You Lie" with English producer Alex da Kid, who signed Grey to his record label Kidinakorner, an imprint of Interscope Records. Her second album, Don't Look Down (2013) peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, while her third, Natural Causes (2016) was met with critical acclaim despite failing to chart. Her 2021 single, "Last One Standing" (with Polo G, Mozzy and Eminem) marked her first entry—at number 78—on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist. The following year, her self-titled fourth album (2022) was released independently to continued acclaim.
Grey is also known for providing guest vocals on several hit singles, such as Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go", Diddy's "Coming Home×Coming Home21 November 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Coming Home3:59", Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor", Nicki Minaj's "Bed of Lies", Macklemore's "Glorious×Glorious15 June 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Glorious3:40", and Motionless in White's "R.I.P.×R.I.P.17 June 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track1R.I.P.4:00". Additionally, she has written songs for a number of prominent performers including Rihanna, Kehlani, G-Eazy, Alicia Keys, Ciara, Christina Aguilera, Zedd, Nick Jonas, Céline Dion, and CeeLo Green.

1994–2004: Early life and Generations

As a child, Grey performed professionally in a folk duo with her mother, Candace Kreitlow, called Generations. The group released three studio albums together.

2005–2010: Like Blood Like Honey and EPs

Grey co-wrote "Done With Like" and "She Said" with Jon Ingoldsby and American actress Brie Larson for Larson's first and only album, Finally Out of P.E. (2005). In 2005, Grey was featured on the song "Where'd You Go" and "Be Somebody" by Fort Minor, a side project by American singer, rapper, and songwriter Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park. "Where'd You Go" was released as a single on April 14, 2006, with an accompanying music video following soon after. The song gained commercial success and ended up becoming a top four hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and also became certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After working with music producer Jonathan Ingoldsby, Grey released her debut album, titled Like Blood Like Honey×Like Blood Like Honey6 June 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Giving It Up for You4:032Wanted3:563What I Wouldn't Give5:164Like Blood Like Honey3:345Again & Again4:186Curious4:157Saturdays3:028Heavy4:249Still Love4:2010All Will Be Forgotten4:1511Cellar Door5:28, on June 6, 2006, under Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at number 35 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart. During this time, Grey had landed opening spots for concert tours with Jamie Cullum, k.d. lang, Daniel Powter, Teddy Geiger and Duncan Sheik.
Through Machine Shop Records, Grey worked with Linkin Park affiliates Styles of Beyond and Apathy. She was featured on two tracks, "Victim" and "No Sad Tomorrow", from Apathy's second studio album, Wanna Snuggle? (2009). Grey toured as part of Duncan Sheik's band and contributed substantially to his 2009 album, Whisper House. In 2009, Grey sang backing vocals on Eurovision contestant Yohanna's debut album, Butterflies and Elvis. In August 2009, still under the name Holly Brook, she lent both her song "It's Raining Again" and her image to a promotional campaign for Ciao Water. In early 2010, she performed in the theatrical version of "Whisper House," playing one of the two lead ghost vocalists, along with David Poe. On June 10, 2010, she self-released the seven-song extended play (EP), O’Dark:Thirty. Production of the EP was handled by Duncan Sheik and Jon Ingoldsby.

2010–2011: Songwriting and name change

Brook later changed her stage name to Skylar Grey. While still living in Oregon, Grey visited New York to meet her publisher Jennifer Blakeman, to seek help presenting her work. Blakeman had suggested that she work with English producer Alex da Kid. Alex da Kid then sent Grey a few tracks that he had been working on, the first song finished being "Love the Way You Lie". The song was given to American rapper Eminem (who wrote the verses) and Barbadian singer Rihanna. Their song became a worldwide hit, reaching number one on 26 charts and being nominated for four Grammy Awards. Grey received a Song of the Year Grammy nomination for "Love the Way You Lie". Grey wrote the hook to all three versions of "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna, and even recorded a solo version that was later featured on her fourth EP, The Buried Sessions×The Buried Sessions1 January 2012 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Love the Way You Lie, Pt. III (Original Demo)4:102Coming Home, Pt. II2:453Words5:07 of Skylar Grey (2012).
Alex da Kid went on to sign Skylar Grey to a production deal on his KIDinaKORNER record label imprint. In 2010, Grey also co-wrote and was featured on Diddy – Dirty Money's single "Coming Home×Coming Home21 November 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Coming Home3:59", which gained massive commercial success. Also in 2010, Grey co-wrote "Castle Walls" by American rapper T.I. and American pop singer Christina Aguilera. On February 1, 2011, American renowned hip-hop producer Dr. Dre released a song titled "I Need a Doctor", featuring Eminem and Grey. "I Need a Doctor" managed to peak at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The song garnered Grey several Grammy nominations.
Grey made her national television debut under her new alias during the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, where she performed "I Need a Doctor", with Eminem and Dr. Dre. During this time, Grey announced that she had begun working on her album then-titled Invinsible. In March 2011, it was revealed Grey signed to Interscope Records, through Alex da Kid's KIDinaKORNER and announced she would be releasing a single in the spring. Later in 2011, Grey was featured on a song titled "Words I Never Said", the second single from Lupe Fiasco's Lasers (2011).
Grey released her debut single, "Dance Without You×Dance Without You6 June 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Dance Without You2:46", on June 6, 2011. The song later received a music video, which was released on July 5. Grey's second single and formerly her second album's title-track, "Invisible×Invisible9 August 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Invisible4:12", was released to radio on June 16. Grey performed alongside aspiring rapper Eli Porter on the September 20, 2011 episode of Tosh.0. In October, Grey was featured on American DJ Kaskade's seventh album Fire & Ice, writing and singing on two versions of the song "Room for Happiness×Room for Happiness2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Room for Happiness (extended)6:322Room for Happiness (Kaskade’s ICE mix)4:543Room for Happiness (Gregori Klosman remix)5:394Room for Happiness (PIXL remix)5:385Room for Happiness (Feenixpawl remix)6:416Room for Happiness (Mysto & Pizzi remix)6:167Room for Happiness (Pixel Cheese remix)5:34", which became the album's third single and earned a Grammy nomination.

2012–2014: Don't Look Down and collaborations

In August 2012, Grey appeared twice as a guest vocalist on American hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse's second album, Welcome to: Our House (2012). In September 2012, Grey's song "Building a Monster", was featured on the soundtrack to Tim Burton's Frankenweenie.
In 2012, Grey co-wrote Russian-German producer Zedd's 2012 single "Clarity" featuring Foxes, which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2014.
In February 2013, American recording artist CeeLo Green released a single titled "Only You", which he co-wrote with Grey. On March 8, 2013, Grey performed a six-song set for "Guitar Center Sessions" on DirecTV. Grey also contributed an exclusive song, titled "Slowly Freaking Out", to the soundtrack album for the film 2013 film The Host, based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer, In April 2013, Grey contributed to will.i.am's fourth solo album #willpower, on the song "Love Bullets".
On October 31, 2012, Grey announced Eminem would be executive producer for her album whose title she had changed from Invinsible to Don't Look Down. The album was preceded by the singles "C'mon Let Me Ride", "Final Warning×Final Warning16 April 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Final Warning3:41", and "Wear Me Out×Wear Me Out4 June 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Wear Me Out3:29". Grey's second album, Don't Look Down, was released July 5, 2013.The album debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,000 copies in the United States.
In September 2013, Grey released a music video for her cover version of Daft Punk's hit single "Get Lucky×Get Lucky1 January 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Get Lucky4:10". On September 5, 2013, Grey was featured on the song "Don't Turn On Me" by 50 Cent and produced by Alex da Kid for 50 Cent's album, Street King Immortal. The track gained millions of views on YouTube before the first week of December 2013, however the song would go unreleased due to 50 Cent delaying and eventually canceling the album in July 2021.In October 2013, Grey appeared on the track "The Last Day" on Moby's eleventh album, Innocents. On October 17, 2013, Grey previewed a new cover of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love×Addicted to Love10 March 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Addicted to Love3:23" in a trailer for the 2014 remake of Endless Love. In November 2013, she appeared on Eminem's eighth studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, on a track titled "Asshole".
On January 20, 2014, Grey released a song titled "Shot Me Down", with David Guetta. The song was successful charting in the top ten in several countries. In March 2014, a new collaboration with American recording artist Kid Cudi, titled "Hero", was recorded for the Need for Speed film and released on the film's official soundtrack. In August 2014, Grey appeared on American rapper T.I.'s song "New National Anthem", from his ninth album, Paperwork. In November 2014, Grey featured on Shady XV, a compilation album performed by various artists of Shady Records, on "Twisted" alongside Eminem and Yelawolf. In 2014, Grey teamed up with American rapper Nicki Minaj to co-write the song "Bed of Lies", from Minaj's third album, The Pinkprint. Grey sang on the recording and performed it with Minaj at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards and the December 6, 2014 episode of Saturday Night Live.

2015–2017: Natural Causes and soundtracks

Grey confirmed on her official Instagram account that her third studio album would be released in 2015. In February 2015, Grey released a song from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack called "I Know You×I Know You3 February 2015 · Single · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Know You4:58". Also in February, Grey confirmed she has a song on the Furious 7 soundtrack, called "I Will Return." In March 2015, she released her version of "Addicted to Love×Addicted to Love10 March 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Addicted to Love3:23" on iTunes, and also re-released the song "Words×Words10 March 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Words5:06," which was deleted from the iTunes Store in 2013. On March 29, 2015, Grey appeared at her third WrestleMania event, performing a medley of "Rise" and "Money and the Power" at the thirty-first annual event, with Travis Barker and Kid Ink.
On May 18, 2015, electronic music producer Deadmau5 released a short demo on SoundCloud in collaboration with Kaskade, featuring vocals by Grey, titled "Beneath with Me×Beneath With Me7 October 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Beneath With Me4:14". On October 6, 2016, a music video for the song was released.
Natural Causes, Grey's third studio album, was released on September 23, 2016. The album received positive reviews and was a moderate commercial success. It was preceded by the singles "Moving Mountains×Moving Mountains1 April 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Moving Mountains4:13", the Eminem-produced "Come Up For Air", and "Lemonade". In the fall of 2016, Grey went on her Natural Causes Tour with morgxn.
In 2017, Grey provided vocals for the song "Wreak Havoc" and wrote Kehlani's "Gangsta×Gangsta15 September 2023 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Gangsta4:01" for the Suicide Squad soundtrack. Grey later co-wrote Kehlani and G-Eazy's song "Good Life" for The Fate of the Furious: The Album soundtrack. Grey collaborated with G-Eazy again, writing "Pick Me Up" for his album The Beautiful & Damned.
On March 31, 2017, American rock band Papa Roach released their song, "Periscope×Periscope31 March 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Periscope3:36", featuring guest vocals by Grey. Grey was also featured on American rapper Macklemore's single "Glorious×Glorious15 June 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Glorious3:40", released on June 25, 2017. The platinum selling single topped the charts in numerous countries. Grey collaborated with Eminem on his album Revival, co-writing the collaborations "Walk On Water" with Beyoncé, "Like Home" with Alicia Keys, "Need Me" with Pink, and "Tragic Endings" with Grey herself.
Previous collaborator Kaskade released his debut Christmas album Kaskade Christmas on November 24 and featured Grey singing a cover of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" retitled "O Come Emmanuel".

2018–2020: Angel with Tattoos and Make It Through The Day

On January 25, 2018, Grey released a cover of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me×Stand by Me25 January 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stand by Me2:26", which was featured in a Budweiser Super Bowl LII commercial. A portion of the proceeds from the song went to the American Red Cross to benefit those affected by natural disasters. A music video was released on February 2, 2018.
In an interview with Uproxx published on January 26, 2018, Grey revealed that she was working on her fourth album and is planning on including her own version of "Walk on Water", which she had written for Eminem and Beyoncé, on the album. Later that year, Grey co-wrote and performed the single "Everything I Need", for James Wan's superhero blockbuster film Aquaman.
In May 2019 Grey, along with fellow artists Jamie N Commons and Gallant, released a new version of Soul Asylum's 1993 "Runaway Train×Runaway Train22 May 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Runaway Train3:50". The video for the song was made in collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and utilizes geotargeting to show viewers missing children in their local area. The video was later nominated for a VMA.
On July 19, 2019, Grey announced on social media that she had left Interscope Records/KIDinaKORNER and that she would release her fourth studio album Angel with Tattoos×Angel with Tattoos27 September 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Angel with Tattoos3:48. The first single released was titled "Shame On You×Shame on You26 August 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Shame on You3:56". Angel with Tattoos was released as an EP on October 18, 2019, and she released the music video for the title-song of the album on the same day. Grey announced that the album is open ended, and songs will be added over time, stating; "Who knows? It could end up with a hundred songs, it could stop at five.”.
On August 7, 2019, Grey released a new song titled "New Kind Of Love" that was featured on Hulu's re-make of "Four Weddings And A Funeral". In the Aug. 24 issue of Billboard, Grey revealed that she had left Interscope Records due to "creative differences;" that her departure had been "amicable;" and that she had signed with Crush Music in 2017.
In 2019, Grey and her fiancé Elliott Taylor wrote "Falling In Love Again" for Celine Dion's Courage. Train also released a song featuring Grey titled "Mai Tais×Mai Tais15 November 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Mai Tais3:45". The song was featured on the CBS show Magnum P.I.
On January 17, 2020, Eminem released his eleventh studio album, Music to Be Murdered By, featuring a song featuring Grey titled "Leaving Heaven". Furthermore, Grey co-wrote and produced the song, making her the first sole female to produce an Eminem song.
On July 14, 2020, Grey revealed her then-upcoming album title, Dark Thoughts×Dark Thoughts1 May 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Dark Thoughts3:48. The project was preceded by the singles "Dark Thoughts", a cover of "Goosebumps×goosebumps29 May 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1goosebumps4:26", and "Sunscreen×Sunscreen3 July 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Sunscreen3:552Goosebumps4:263Dark Thoughts3:48". The project was eventually scrapped as Grey announced she started working on a new album via various social platforms on January 16, 2021. Some singles released in 2020 were compiled as part of Make It Through the Day - EP, released on November 6, 2020.

2021–present: Skylar Grey and Lofi Chill Vibes albums

On September 30, 2021, Grey's song "Last One Standing" was featured on the soundtrack for the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage with Eminem, Polo G, and Mozzy featured on the song.
After the release of several singles, Grey's eponymous fourth studio offering, Skylar Grey was released on April 28, 2022.
On July 15, 2022, Grey's song "My Heart Has Teeth", another collaboration with Deadmau5, was featured on the soundtrack for the series Resident Evil (2022). On October 27, 2022, Grey's song "Walking On Fire×Walking On Fire25 October 2022 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Walking On Fire3:29", produced by Th3rdstream, was featured on the soundtrack for the series Vampire Academy.
In 2023, Grey announced that she would be re-recording her back catalog after selling her masters to settle her 2021 divorce. The plan was to release a greatest hits collection in 2023, including Grey's original version/demo of "Love the Way You Lie", later recorded and released by Eminem and Rihanna and Grey's version of "Coming Home×Coming Home21 November 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Coming Home3:59" (released by Diddy-Dirty Money). Grey released her next album Lofi Chill Vibes with Skylar Grey on August 11, 2023, featuring lo-fi versions of Grey's back catalog. Grey co-wrote and featured on Eminem's song "Temporary" from his 2024 album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce).

Musical style and influences

Grey has listed Bon Iver, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Marilyn Manson, Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan, Eminem, Death Cab for Cutie and Alana Davis as her influences.

Stage name

Grey explained that she thought her stage name "represents the unknowns in life. People seem to be afraid of the unknowns, but I'm the complete opposite. I dive into the unknown because I feel like that's where all your possibilities come from." She explained to Beatweek that she chose "grey" with an e rather than an a because "I like to do things the original way" and because "it's more masculine. I'm not a very feminine person."

Personal life

Grey was previously married to Todd Jeremy Mandel. In 2017, she was granted a temporary restraining order against him after he allegedly stalked and followed her and her boyfriend, Elliott Taylor. Grey is currently engaged to Taylor.

Grammy Awards

Grey has been nominated for five Grammys.