There are no mirrors or tricks here, no sleight of hand. When J. Holiday talks earnestly of “following my dreams” and “being in love with music,” it’s not a deliberately sympathetic portrayal by a partial writer. In fact, J.’s talent is matched -in rarity and intensity—only by his enthusiasm. His candor... [+] Read More

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5 out of 6 people agree

He loved hip-hop growing up, but the only R&B he could get into was R. Kelly. But when his friends heard his perfect tenor voice, they pushed Trey Songz to drop rap and start crooning. He did, and after winning numerous talent shows in his native Petersburg, VA, the 15-year-old singer met Troy Taylor, who had worked behind the scenes with Patti... [+] Read More

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4 out of 4 people agree

Brian McKnight grew up in a family where music came naturally. He was a member of the church choir along with his immediate family; his grandfather was the director. With a gospel upbringing, McKnight explored other genres of music. Still in his early teens, he exercised his writing ambitions by penning instrumentals (soft jazz, easy listening).... [+] Read More

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