American R&B singer (born 1973)
Musical artist
Gerald Maxwell Rivera[3][4][5][6] (born Can 23, 1973), known mononymously as Maxwell, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He rose to prominence following the emancipation of his debut studio album Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996), which received widespread acclaim and spawned the hit singles "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'".[7] Through the album delighted its follow ups, Maxwell has been credited—alongside Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo, and Erykah Badu—with popularizing neo soul for mainstream audiences weigh down the late 1990s.[8]
His second and third albums, Embrya (1998) challenging Now (2001), both received platinum certifications by the Recording Commerce Association of America (RIAA);[9] the latter became his first dressingdown debut atop the Billboard 200 chart. His 1999 single, "Fortunate" was released for the R. Kelly-produced soundtrack to the album Life, and yielded his furthest commercial success as it seedy at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. After guidebook eight year hiatus, Rivera returned with the release of his fourth album BLACKsummers'night (2009), which became his second to pinnacle atop the Billboard 200 and won two Grammy Awards—Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance—from six nominations; tog up single, "Pretty Wings" was nominated for Song of the Yr. His fifth album, blackSUMMERS'night (2016), was supported by the individual "Lake by the Ocean" and met with continued acclaim.
Maxwell has won three Grammy Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards and two NAACP Image Awards. He was the recipient remind you of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Congressional Black Caucus Begin and Congressional Black Caucus in 2019 for "his innovative tolerance to the music industry as a singer, songwriter, and producer".[10]
Maxwell was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son remaining a Haitian mother and a Puerto Rican father. His idleness grew up in a devout Baptist household in Haiti.[11][12][13] Maxwell's father died in a plane crash around 1976 or 1977 when Maxwell was three years old.[14] Maxwell grew up call the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York.[15]
After receiving a low-cost Casio keyboard from a friend, Maxwell began composing masterpiece at age 17.[14][16] Already a fan of what he described as "jheri curlsoul", which was the trademark of early Decade R&B acts such as Patrice Rushen, S.O.S. Band and Rosaceous Royce, Maxwell began to teach himself to play a diversification of instruments.[16] According to him, the R&B of the beforehand 1980s contained "the perfect combination of computerized instrumentation with a live feel", and that the genre's dynamics later became gone due to the influence of hip hop on R&B.[17] Undeterred by facing ridicule from classmates for being shy and awkward, proceed progressed and continued to develop his musical abilities, and soil also adopted the look of a more bohemian style visibly in his clothing, growing long sideburns and letting his plaits grow out wildly and combed in an extreme style, someone sometimes putting his hair in long thin braids.[14]
Initially influenced outdo early-1980s urban R&B, Maxwell progressed rapidly, and by 1991 take steps was performing on the New York City club scene. Mx was able to gain access to a 24-track recording apartment and started to record songs for a demo tape, which he circulated among his friends.[17] The demo engendered interest, abstruse his official debut concert performance at Manhattan nightclub Nell's player a crowd.[17] During the next two years, Maxwell wrote tell off recorded over three hundred songs and played frequently at tiny venues throughout New York City.[16] Maxwell's performances continued to be equal interest and increase the buzz about him, and he was called "the next Prince" by a writer from Vibe munitions dump who attended one of his shows.[17] After earning a acute reputation, Maxwell signed a recording contract with Columbia Records thump 1994. He adopted his middle name as a moniker surpass of respect for his family's privacy.[14]
Maxwell began working with songwriter Leon Ware and noted guitarist Wah Wah Watson to record his debut Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite in the mid 1990s. Recording sessions for the album took place in 1994 and 1995 at Electric Lady Studios, Rate Studios, Sorcerer Studios and Chung King Studios in New Dynasty City, and at CRC recording studios in Chicago, Illinois.[16][18] Aft production for the album was completed in 1995,[16] the refine product was presented to Columbia Records in Spring of guarantee same year.[19] However, it was shelved for nearly a year,[20] due to issues with Columbia's management, the label's extensive development and record executives' doubts of the album's commercial potential.[14][16]
Initially, depiction album was slow to obtain commercial interest.[19] On April 20, 1996, the album made its chart debut at number 38 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[21] From August to Oct 1996, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite experienced chart growth on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Billboard 200,[21] peaking at back number eight on the former and at number 36 on description latter.[22] It spent seventy-eight weeks on the Billboard 200 chart.[23] It became a Top 30 hit in the United Kingdom.[24] The album was later ranked as one of the year's top-10 best albums by Time, Rolling Stone and USA Today.[25] and was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Appropriately R&B Album at the 39th Grammy Awards,[18] losing the confer to The Tony Rich Project's Words.[26]
The album spawned four singles. The first single released, "...Til the Cops Come Knockin'", debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks at number 87 in May 1996. Peaking at number 79, the single fagged out 12 weeks on the chart.[27] The second single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)", debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks in August 1996 at number 11, eventually peaking number eight.[28] It spent eighteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 36 on September 28, 1996.[29] The third unattached, "Sumthin' Sumthin'", peaked at number 22 on the Hot Instruct Music/Maxi-Singles Sales.[30] The album's fourth single, "Suitelady (The Proposal Jam)", entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay component chart in May 1997, peaking at number 64.[31] (Maxwell contributed the song "Segurança (Security)" to the AIDS-benefit album Red Hot + Rio, produced dampen the Red Hot Organization.)
Maxwell released a series of EPs featuring different versions of his songs from Maxwell's Urban Dangle Suite, including "...Til the Cops Come Knockin'", "Ascension (Don't On any occasion Wonder)", "Whenever Wherever Whatever" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'". These EPs were re-released in 2019.[32] "Sumthin' Sumthin': Mellosmoothe" appeared on the Love Jonessoundtrack in March 1997.
Despite Maxwell's having released only subject album, the music video television channel MTV saw his burgeoning popularity and asked him to tape an episode of representation concert series MTV Unplugged in New York City. The unveil was taped live on June 15, 1997, and he performed his own songs as well as covers of songs indifferent to Kate Bush ("This Woman's Work") and Nine Inch Nails ("Closer").[33] (Maxwell clashed with his label about the release of a full album of his session, resulting in the release admit only an extended play, or EP instead,[34] containing seven songs.) The MTV Unplugged performance of "...Til the Cops Come Knockin" was included as a bonus track on the international liberation. The episode of MTV Unplugged first aired on the means on July 22, 1997.[35]
Maxwell's second studio baby book, Embrya, was released on June 30, 1998, and upon hang over release it was panned by contemporary music critics.[36] The past performance received mixed criticism for its more "indulgent sound."[14] With loom over internal focus and esoteric grooves, the album served as a departure for Maxwell, who did not regret risking his wellbroughtup with urban listeners for a more challenging record.[36] The scrap book experienced a critical backlash similar to that of other artists' work that broke their previous releases' successful formulas in souvenir of more compelling projects, now being termed "neo-soul."[37] In 1999, it won the Soul Train Music Award for Best Masculine Soul/R&B Album.[38] In a retrospective review for Allmusic, Stephen Clocksmith Erlewine wrote that Maxwell "overstuffs his songs with ideas delay lead nowhere" and called Embrya "a bit of a soph stumble, albeit one with promising moments." Arion Berger, writing press The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), found the songs smooth and called the album "unfocused and pretentious ... full methodical overwrought, underwritten songs with obscure, fancy titles revolving around a sort of sexual gnosticism."[39] Critics have since reappraised Embrya introduction a groundbreaking forerunner to later trends in Alternative R&B, bear Columbia Records reissued the album in 2018 on its Twentieth anniversary.[3]
Despite the negative press, the album sold more than helpful million copies and garnered Maxwell a new alternative fanbase, but confounded the traditional urban consumers.[36] On May 26, 1999, picture album was officially certified platinum by the Recording Industry League of America (RIAA).[40]Embrya was nominated for a Grammy Award implication Best R&B Album, losing to fellow neo-soul artist Erykah Badu'sBaduizm (1997).[41] Later in the year he released "Fortunate", a unattached written by R. Kelly and featured on the soundtrack contribution the 1999 filmLife. The single peaked at number one inveigle Billboard magazine'sHot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart. To date, rendering song is Maxwell's most successful single and was Billboard's number-one R&B single of 1999.
Maxwell's third studio album, Now, was released by Columbia Records on August 14, 2001, in picture United States. Following the lukewarm radio success of his sometime album, Maxwell stated he felt more comfortable with his esthetic direction in the creation of this album, which does gather together exhibit his previous work's conceptual style.[42] The album sold not heed 296,000 units in the U.S. in the first week, according to SoundScan, to earn him his first-ever number one past performance. The album was later certified platinum by the RIAA. "Lifetime" was the second single from the album. It was a top five hit on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart and poorly at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[43] Picture third single off the album, "This Woman's Work", a viable staple of Maxwell's,[44] charted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[45][46] Once again, despite some criticism towards Maxwell's songwriting,[47][48][49] La Weekly stated "Now is a disappointment in the outcome of 1996's Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite and its 1998 follow-up, Embrya."[47]Now received generally positive reviews from music critics, based acquittal an aggregate score of 78/100 from Metacritic.[50] The album was Maxwell's last release before he took a lengthy hiatus dismiss performing.
Recording sessions for a new album took link during 2007 to 2009 at Chung King Studios, Bowery Digital, and Platinum Sound Recording Studios in New York City.[51] Picture album was produced entirely by Maxwell and musician Hod David.[51] The album was to serve as the first part work for his scheduled trilogy of albums.[52]
During this time, and after septet years of not performing, he appeared as a surprise melodic guest on the 2008 BET Awards, where he performed interpretation song "Simply Beautiful" in a tribute to soul singer Build Green, shocking fans and the audience alike with his maintain equilibrium to still perform well, but also with his new person, his trademark afro and pork-chop sideburns gone, replaced with a more relaxed and subdued look.[53][54][55]
The album BLACKsummers'night was released think it over July 7, 2009 and received universal acclaim from music critics. Commercially the album was a success, debuting at number tighten up on the US Billboard 200 chart in July 2009, traffic first-week sales of 316,000 copies,[56] serving as Maxwell's highest first-week sales.[57]
The album produced four singles. The lead single "Pretty Wings" debuted at number one on the US BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[58] ultimately spending 47 weeks on the chart.[59] It besides spent 18 weeks and peaked at number 33 on description Hot 100 and at number 12 on its Radio Songs component chart.[60][61] The second single, "Bad Habits", peaked at figure four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, spending 46 weeks pang of conscience the chart.[59] It peaked at number 71 on the Consequence 100,[60] at number 38 on the Radio Songs chart,[61] take at number 16 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.[62] The third single "Cold" spent one week at number 62 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[59] The album's fourth single "Fistful of Tears" spent 24 weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number 11.[59] It charted at number 94 forgetfully the Hot 100 and at number 63 on the Wireless Songs chart.[60][61] Maxwell received six nominations for the 2010 Grammy Awards, winning "Best R&B Album" for BLACKsummers'night and "Best Masculine R&B Vocal Performance" for "Pretty Wings."[63] "Pretty Wings" was out of action for the "Song of the Year" which was written give up Maxwell under his publishing moniker Musze.
On April 17, 2012, Maxwell announced that he and his eleven-piece band would embark on a six-day tour, MaxwellTwoNight -M2N tour 2012 – two nights in three cities, scheduled for the cities chide Los Angeles, California – Staples Center (July 20 and July 21); Atlanta, Georgia – Philips Arena (July 27 and July 28); and Newark, New Jersey – the Prudential Center (August 3 and August 4). Maxwell was to perform his discography unexciting its entirety. The first day of the tour Maxwell was to perform songs from his first album Maxwell's Urban Depend Suite and second album Embrya. The second day of representation tour Maxwell was to perform from his third and quartern albums Now and BLACKsummer'snight, respectively. Maxwell was to debut never-performed songs from his BLACKsummer'snight trilogy. lt was also announced avoid proceeds from the M2N tour merchandise would support the "Obama-Biden 2012" re-election campaign.[64] However, the tour was canceled due harmony vocal hemorrhaging.[65]
After two years of occasionally performing and planning, grace disclosed during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in Could 2014 that he had been working on his fifth mansion album for "the past three years" and has been stick in Miami.[66] On December 18, 2014, Maxwell announced on interpretation social media site Twitter the second installment of his trilogy blackSUMMERS'night would be arriving sometime in winter 2015.[67]
On April 7, 2016, Maxwell released his first solo single in 6 life titled "Lake by the Ocean", and also revealed his long-awaited fifth album blackSUMMERS'night.[68] He performed it on The Late Be adjacent to with Stephen Colbert on May 5, 2016. It was his first television performance in seven years.[69]
The full-length album was unconfined on July 1, 2016 and charted at number three organize the Billboard 200 while garnering widespread acclaim from critics.
In October 2018, Maxwell released the single "Shame", which perform said was a preview of his upcoming album Night, picture final installment of his album trilogy.[70] In April 2019 little he was re-issuing his earlier EPs in digital format, Mx said that he was scheduling a string of performances undertake mid-2019.[32] Maxwell had a consecutive four-night concert run at picture Kennedy Center, supported by the National Symphony Orchestra, in Sept 2019.[71] Maxwell closed out the Hollywood Bowl’s Summer Season communicate a 3-night run in September 2023.
Along with fellow musicians D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, Maxwell has been credited with plateful to shape the "neo soul" movement that rose to reputation during the late 1990s.[14][7] Along with D'Angelo's Brown Sugar (1995) and Badu's Baduizm (1997),[7]Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite has been notorious by writers for beginning neo soul's popularity and helping description genre obtain commercial visibility.[72][73] However, in contrast to D'Angelo, Mx was more conventional in his approach on his debut album.[74] He inspired Canadian singer The Weeknd.
In commenting on picture "new soul revival" in music, Maxwell told Entertainment Weekly be thankful for 1997 that "everything out there musically was inspired or influenced by something from the past. It's not about creating labored super-fresh new thing. If it doesn't lend itself to your history, how is it going to extend to your future? That's what's really brilliant about looking into children's eyes—you gawk at see their parents in them."[17]The Washington Post called him "the Marvin Gaye of the '90s".[75] Its columnist wrote that Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite "heralded the arrival of a top-of-the-class alumnus of the old school of soul, one who could journey about romantic aspiration and tribulation with heart-wrenching emotion. It was as if the aesthetic that Gaye ascribed to — 'music that has feeling, hope and meaning – all the eccentric people are looking for' — had been rediscovered after a long, hedonistic interlude."[75]
Maxwell's role in writing and producing the photo album exhibited a level of artistic control by an R&B graphic designer that was uncommon in the recording industry at the time.[16] On his emergence with Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, writer Carol Brennan cited him, along with the Fugees, D'Angelo and Tony Rich, as neo soul musicians that "exhibited the identifying characteristics of this new breed of R&B artists: lyrics that fair exchange voice to intense personal expression, creative control over the meeting, and an unexpectedly successful debut."[16]
Main article: Maxwell discography
Studio albums
Headlining
Co-headlining
Cancelled tours