Tarralyn Ramsey

Ramsey was born on July 8, 1979,[1] as Tarralyn LaJuan Ramsey,[1][2] in Melbourne, Florida,[3][1] and was reared in the church by her parents, a bishop and a school teacher. She has a younger sister.[4]

Her music career started in 2000, with the release of Tarralyn Ramsey by Verity Records on June 20, 2000.[5] This album would be her breakthrough release on the Billboard magazine chart, which it placed at No. 12 on the Gospel Albums chart.[6]

After being signed to Verity for several years, she moved on in her career and in 2003 entered the VH1 Born to Diva competition. She was announced the winner by Queen Latifah and Sharon Osbourne. She signed with Casablanca/Universal records under former Sony Music executive Tommy Mottola. This venture afforded Ramsey many mainstream opportunities which included performing at the MGM Grand, sharing the stage with such great artists as Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Pat Benatar, Lisa Marie Presley, Stevie Wonder and Ashanti. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and has been featured in magazines such as Vibe, Ebony, Jet, People, Seventeen and others. Tarralyn toured with Mary J. Blige on her "No More Drama Tour" and Seventeen Magazine, Pantene's "Total You" tour, "The BET College Tour" and many others. Tarralyn has performed at Rocket Nation, Carnegie Hall and many other notable performance venues. Tarralyn released an album under Casablanca records that charted on the Billboard pop charts. Tarralyn was later released from her contract. In 2009, by invitation, Tarralyn was the first contestant on the new show called "The Voice", and performed Faith Hill's "Breathe". She was chosen to be on Christina Aguilera's team. Tarralyn was sent home during the battle rounds. However, in that same year of 2009, Tarralyn released her own independent gospel album entitled "Beyond the Darkness" which did well entering the Billboard charts at number 15.

In 2012 Tarralyn auditioned for the X factor and wowed judges Simon Cowell, LA Reid, Brittany Spears and Demi Lovato and got a "yes" to move on in the competition. Simon said, "Where've you been hiding? That was incredible…. You have a sensational voice…. amazing", and Demi Lovato said, "You have one of the best voices I have heard in my entire life… I got chills on my arms and legs." Spears had tears and LA Reid said that Tarralyn was "cut from the same cloth as Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston." Despite the accolades and 4 "yeses", she was not invited to bootcamp.

She released another album, Tarralyn Ramsey, which this time it was a secular album that was released by Casablanca Records on June 8, 2004. The album would chart on the R&B Albums chart at No. 59. Her third album, Beyond the Darkness, a religious album, was released on her own independent label Taraprincel Records on September 1, 2009, yet this failed to chart. Both of her religious records were reviewed by Cross Rhythms magazine, where they were rated a seven out of ten.[7]

• Official website