MAXWELL

Gerald Maxwell Rivera, born on May 23, 1973, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer known mononymously as Maxwell. He gained recognition with the release of his debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in 1996, which received widespread acclaim and produced the hit singles "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'." Alongside artists such as Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo, and Erykah Badu, Maxwell is credited with helping to popularize neo soul for mainstream audiences in the late 1990s. His second album, Embrya, released in 1998, and his third, Now, released in 2001, both achieved platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album Now was his first to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. In 1999, he released the single "Fortunate," which was part of the soundtrack for the film Life and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his most commercially successful single. After an eight-year hiatus, Maxwell released his fourth album, BLACKsummers'night, in 2009. The album also topped the Billboard 200 and earned two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, from six nominations. Its single, "Pretty Wings," was nominated for Song of the Year.