Skylar Grey Wiki Biography
Holly Brook Hafermann, better known by her stage name Skylar Grey, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Mazomanie, Wisconsin. She was initially signed to Machine Shop Recordings under the name Holly Brook, where she released her debut album, Like…
| Full Name | Skylar Grey |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Date Of Birth | February 23, 1986 |
| Place Of Birth | Mazomanie, Wisconsin, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.64 m) |
| Profession | Songwriter, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Jazz Pianist, Record producer, Musician, Multi-instrumentalist |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Parents | Candace Krietlow |
| Siblings | Tiffany Hafermann |
| Nicknames | Brook, Holly , Holly Brook Hafermann , Holly Hafermann |
| http://www.facebook.com/SkylarGrey | |
| http://www.twitter.com/skylargrey | |
| Google+ | http://plus.google.com/106107980733808296762 |
| http://www.instagram.com/skylargrey | |
| MySpace | http://www.myspace.com/hollybrook |
| IMDB | http://imdb.com/name/nm2363920 |
| Awards | MTV Video Music Award for Ringtone of the Year |
| Nominations | Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance, World Music Award for World’s Best Album, World Music Award for World’s Best Video, World Music Award for World’s Best Song, World Music Award for … |
| Quote | |
|---|---|
| 1 | One of my biggest problems is I get bored too easily, and I like to experiment too much, to the point where I confuse myself and I confuse my fans. |
| 2 | Writing songs for other people was never the goal for me. |
| 3 | The best thing that can happen is that a song you’ve written will live in the world so people can hear it. |
| 4 | I would say that nobody is going to work harder for your career than yourself – the one with the vision. No matter how many people you hire, nobody is going to get is as much as yourself does. So it’s really important to be your own leader at all times and not hand it all off, otherwise the whole empire will fall apart. |
| 5 | My mom was a folk singer and Celtic harpist. My dad was in a barbershop quartet and my great grandma was an opera singer. As I grew up, I discovered pop music and Top 40 radio, but it was in the ’90s, so music was very different then – it was really lyrical. |
| 6 | Your personal life, your professional life, and your creative life are all intertwined. I went through a few very difficult years where I felt like a failure. But it was actually really important for me to go through that. Struggle, for me, is the most inspirational thing in the world at the end of the day – as long as you treat it that way. |
| 7 | I discovered that my insecurities and my flaws were things that I actually need to embrace, and I let them become my superpowers. |
| 8 | Expectations are an evil thing. |
| 9 | Anytime someone basically commissions a piece, I write a song based on something personal to them. I go online and I do research on that person – Wikipedia, YouTube interviews, anywhere I can find a piece of information that kind of tugs at your heart a little bit. |
| 10 | I’m not a big fan of trying to be a sex symbol or any of that stuff because I really like the music to speak for itself. |
| 11 | Putting out a debut album is a bit scary – I want it to be just right, so I took some extra time to finish it. Eminem’s increased involvement has been such a blessing; I’m getting guidance from an artist I really admire and trust. |
| 12 | I played trumpet in school once because I joined band because a cute boy played trumpet too. And I was really bad at trumpet. |
| 13 | I think, honestly, that a lot of people think I’m sad and dark all the time, because of the music I have made. But there’s a huge part of my personality that’s really energetic, outgoing and goofy. |
| 14 | I’ve always been jealous of rappers, because they can fit so many words into a song and tell a story with lots of details. But when you’re a songwriter, you have to fit the words to the melody and you can’t fit as much in. I’m just a big fan of storytelling. |
| 15 | When I was young, my voice was so strong, and I would annoy people because I had such a loud little voice. And then it changed, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to sing again, because I thought you had to sing like Christina Aguilera to be a singer. |
| 16 | I didn’t have any knowledge of the music industry when I first got to L.A., and I really didn’t know on a creative level what I wanted to sound like, so I had to do a lot of experimenting. It led to a spiral of depression and being broke. |
| 17 | I have a tattoo on my foot that says ‘it’s a whale’ in Japanese, because Japanese people kill whales. My stuffed whale was like most children’s teddy bear. I took it with me everywhere. I slept with it. I couldn’t live without my whale. |
| 18 | I moved out to L.A. when I was 17, dropped out of high school, and pursued a career in music. |
| 19 | Honestly, I don’t recommend anyone get into music. If you have something else that you’re good at, do that instead. This is a really tough world to live in. |
| 20 | I never really focus on writing for other people, to be honest. Every song I’ve ever written was for me to sing. Maybe if I’m writing for a rapper, but I’d still write it as though it was for myself and then sometimes I’m actually asked to do the part. |
| 21 | I’ve been through a lot in the music industry, in life. I’ve learned that I have to be tough in this world. |
| 22 | I’m a shy person, so I get really nervous going into interviews. |
| 23 | I have a lot of experience in the studio, performing onstage, talking to an audience. I learned most of that stuff when I was performing with my mom. |
| 24 | Mazomanie doesn’t even have a stoplight, so it doesn’t do a lot. But the cheese curds there are unbelievable. I’ve never had them anywhere else, even at places in California that claim to have the real thing. There’s a cheese factory in Arena, Mazomanie’s neighboring town, and they’ll give you fresh curds that are so amazing. |
| 25 | I love New York. I first came here with my Mom when I was in 9th grade. I took the subway for the first time and the doors closed between me and my Mom, and I was so scared. I could see her through the window and I didn’t know what to do. I got off at the next stop and she caught up to me, but I couldn’t stop crying. |
| 26 | I don’t watch movie trailers. I just go to the movie, and I don’t know anything about it, because that’s the only way I appreciate the movie fully. |
| 27 | I think one of the reasons I’ve had success in hip-hop is that I can bring out vulnerability in people who are generally seen as tough guys. To me, when a hip-hop musician always plays tough, I find it annoying because I know they’re not really like that – there’s something deeper and vulnerable. There has to be, because they’re human beings. |
| 28 | There’s this one song called ‘Final Warning’ that I’m really excited about because I love the contrast of my vocal sounding very soothing and my harsh lyrics. |
Soundtrack
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fate of the Furious | 2017 | writer: “GOOD LIFE” | |
| Suicide Squad | 2016 | writer: “Gangsta” | |
| The Voice | 2012-2016 | TV Series writer – 3 episodes | |
| Roots & Wings | 2016 | Documentary performer: “The last day feat Skylar Grey” | |
| Furious 7 | 2015 | performer: “I Will Return” / writer: “I Will Return” | |
| Fifty Shades of Grey | 2015 | performer: “I Know You” / writer: “I Know You” | |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | TV Series performer – 1 episode, 2014 writer – 1 episode, 2014 | ||
| Todd’s Pop Song Reviews | TV Series documentary writer – 4 episodes, 2011 – 2014 performer – 1 episode, 2012 | ||
| Saturday Night Live | TV Series performer – 2 episodes, 2013 – 2014 writer – 2 episodes, 2010 – 2014 | ||
| American Music Awards 2014 | 2014 | TV Special performer: “Bed of Lies” / writer: “Bed of Lies” – as Holly Hafermann | |
| Tu cara me suena mini – España | 2014 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Hollyoaks | 2014 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| The Voice Kids | 2014 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Tu cara me suena – Argentina | 2014 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Need for Speed | 2014 | performer: “Hero” / writer: “Hero” | |
| Danville 2nd Ward Young Men | 2013 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Dancing with the Stars | 2013 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| So You Think You Can Dance | TV Series writer – 2 episodes, 2011 – 2013 performer – 1 episode, 2011 | ||
| The Voice of the Philippines | 2013 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Glee | 2013 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| The X Factor | 2012 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Step Up Revolution | 2012 | performer: “Dance Without You Ricky Luna Remix”, “Words” / writer: “Dance Without You Ricky Luna Remix”, “Words” | |
| Dancing with the Stars | 2012 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| American Idol | TV Series performer – 1 episode, 2011 writer – 1 episode, 2011 | ||
| The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards | 2011 | TV Special performer: “I Need a Doctor” / writer: “Love the Way You Lie Part II”, “I Need a Doctor” | |
| WWE Tribute to the Troops | 2010 | TV Special writer: “Coming Home” – uncredited | |
| The View | 2010 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Late Show with David Letterman | 2010 | TV Series writer – 1 episode | |
| Gossip Girl | 2010 | TV Series performer – 1 episode | |
| 2010 American Music Awards | 2010 | TV Special writer: “Coming Home” – uncredited | |
| Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue | 2010 | Video performer: “How to Believe – fairy field guide” – as Holly Brook | |
| Broken Windows | 2008 | performer: “What I Wouldn’t Give” – as Holly Brook / writer: “What I Wouldn’t Give” – as Holly Brook | |
| The Reckoning | 2007/I | Short performer: “What I Wouldn’t Give” – as Holly Brook / writer: “What I Wouldn’t Give” – as Holly Brook | |
| Happily N’Ever After | 2006 | performer: “Get What I Want” – as Holly Brook |
Actress
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skylar Grey: Get Lucky | 2013 | Video short | Skylar |
| Dr. Dre: I Need a Doctor | 2011 | Video short | Doctor |
Music Department
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Around the Sun | 2008 | music recordist: live music performance | |
| 13th Heaven | 2007 | Short musician – as Holly Brook |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| E! Live from the Red Carpet | 2017 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Late Late Show with James Corden | 2016 | TV Series | Herself – Musical Guest |
| WrestleMania | 2015 | TV Special | Herself |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | 2014 | TV Series | Herself – Musical Guest |
| Lennon or McCartney | 2014 | Documentary short | Herself |
| Saturday Night Live | 2013-2014 | TV Series | Herself – Musical Guest / Herself |
| American Music Awards 2014 | 2014 | TV Special | Herself – Performer |
| FansTang Live from the Red Carpet | 2014 | TV Series | Herself |
| MTV Europe Music Awards 2014 | 2014 | TV Special | Herself – Performer |
| Amp’d Up | 2014 | TV Series | Herself |
| 2013 YouTube Music Awards | 2013 | TV Special | Herself |
| Celebrity Ghost Stories | 2012 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| MSN Exclusives | 2012 | TV Series | Herself (2013) |
| Last Call with Carson Daly | 2011 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Tosh.0 | 2011 | TV Series | Herself |
| Daybreak | 2011 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Colbert Report | 2011 | TV Series | Herself – Musical Guest |
| The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards | 2011 | TV Special | Herself – Performer |
| WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour | 2006 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | 2006 | TV Series | Herself |
| B InTune TV | 2006 | TV Series | Guest star |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Grammy | Grammy Awards | Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | |
| 2012 | Grammy | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Song | |
| 2011 | Grammy | Grammy Awards | Song of the Year |