Mario (singer)
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| Mario | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Mario Dewar Barrett | |
| Born | August 27, 1986 (age 20) | |
| Origin | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | |
| Genre(s) | R&B | |
| Occupation(s) | singer-songwriter, actor | |
| Years active | 2002-present | |
| Label(s) | J/3rd Street/BMG | |
| Website | Official site | |
Mario (born Mario Dewar Barrett on August 27, 1986) is a Grammy Award-nominated American R&B singer. He is known for his hits "Just a Friend" and "Let Me Love You", which won him two Billboard awards, as well as for appearing in the films Step Up and Freedom Writers.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Eary life
Mario was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Pikesville, Randallstown, Gwynn Oak and other working-class neighborhoods on the northwest side of Baltimore.[1] He grew up with his grandmother, who raised him while his single mother struggled with a drug problem.[1] Mario wanted to become a singer at the age of four. His mother supported his dream and bought him a karaoke machine. Mario was in a singing group with Mo'Nique's oldest son while in school. He learned to play the piano and used that skill to create musical melodies and songs. He was discovered at age eleven and signed on by producer Troy Patterson, after singing "I'll Make Love to You" at a Coppin State College talent show.[1] Mario briefly attended Milford Mill Academy, where he was inspired by his music teacher, during his early teen years, and was offered a record deal at the age of fourteen, signing with Clive Davis' J Records.[1] His musical influences include Stevie Wonder, Usher, Fernando & Q-Bah, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, Brian McKnight, Boyz II Men, and Joe. His first introduction to the music industry was the Dr. Dolittle 2 movie soundtrack in 2001. He sang a captivating performance of the Stevie Wonder classic You and I at Clive's Grammy party in 2002, and began recording an album.
[edit] Mario (2002)
Mario began recording his debut album Mario at age fifteen, a year before releasing it in July 2002. The lead single Just A Friend 2002, which was a cover of Biz Markie's hit, was an instant success, peaking at #4 on the charts. Follow up singles were Braid my Hair & C'mon. He was the opening act on the Scream Tour 3, which featured Bow Wow, Nick Cannon, B2K & Marques Houston. As of 2006, his debut album has sold over 700,000 copies.[1] During this period, he became a draw in the teen market.[1]
[edit] Turning Point (2004)
After his debut album was released, Mario wanted to record an album that was more mature. He enlisted a number of big producers to help him, such as Scott Storch & Lil' Jon. He released his sophomore effort, Turning Point, in December 2004. The album was more successful than his first, mainly because of the Ne-Yo written hit single "Let Me Love You" (The number 2 song played in radio history). The single, described by reviewers as "melodic and sweetly lilting, reminiscent of Michael Jackson's vintage romantic ballads",[1] was successul, peaking at the #1 spot of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks.[1] Other follow up singles include How Could You written by J. Valentine, with a cameo apperence in the video by rapper Cassidy, Here I Go Again, which video starred upcoming model and singer Cassie, and Boom featuring Juvenile. To date, Turning Point has sold over 1.7 million copies.
In February 2006, Mario filed a lawsuit against his former manager, Troy Patterson, alleging that Patterson had paid him $50,000 for the sale of more than 3 million records. Mario also alleged that Patterson "took advantage" of Mario's mother at a time when she was unable to make decisions because of her drug addiction.[1] The suit was settled at some point in 2006, and Mario has described the incident as "all behind us".[1] Mario donates to many charities to help children and their dreams. He has homes in Baltimore, Atlanta and Los Angeles.[1]
[edit] Go! (2007)
Mario's third album Go! is scheduled to be released July 31, 2007 according to Amazon.com,[2] and includes collaborations with Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Janice Robinson, Eric West, Scott Storch, Akon,Trey Songz, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bryan Michael Cox, Nelly, Alicia Keys, The Neptunes and Rich Harrison. Mario, who has described the album as "sexier... more personal... more passionate", had more creative control on "Go!" than on his previous two albums.[1]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 Platinum (RIAA) |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. 100 |
U.S. R&B | UK | AUS | NZ | IRE | |||
| 2002 | "Just a Friend 2002" | 4 | 3 | 18 | - | 15 | - | Mario |
| "Braid My Hair" | 74 | 18 | - | - | - | - | ||
| "C'mon" | - | 61 | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2004 | "Let Me Love You" | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | Turning Point |
| 2005 | "How Could You" | 52 | 13 | - | 43 | - | - | |
| "Here I Go Again" | - | - | 11 | 15 | 36 | 16 | ||
| "Boom" (featuring Juvenile) | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
[edit] Acting Career
Mario co-starred along side Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan in Step Up, a dance-themed film released on August 11, 2006. For his next film, Freedom Writers he acted opposite Academy Award-Winner Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey of Grey's Anatomy. The film was a drama about inner-city school kids. It was released on January 5, 2007. Mario did not take acting classes before undertaking the role.[1] Mario has stated that he would like to own his own film production company and become a director.[3]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Awards & nominations
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Soul Train Music Award nomination for Best R&B/Soul Single - Male ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | MOBO Awards nomination for Best Single ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards Win for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards Win for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single - Airplay ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | BET Awards nomination for BET.com Viewer's Choice Award ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | BET Awards nomination for Best Male Artist - R&B |
| 2005 | Billboard Music Award nomination for Hot 100 Single of the Year ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Billboard Music Award nomination for Hot 100 Artist of the Year - Male |
| 2005 | Billboard Music Award nomination for Hot 100 Singles Track of the Year (Airplay) - ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Billboard Music Award Win for Hot R&B/Hip--Hop Single of the Year - ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Billboard Music Award Win for Hot R&B/Hip--Hop Single of the Year (Airplay) - ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2005 | Vibe Award nomination for Best R&B Song - ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2006 | Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Let Me Love You") |
| 2006 | Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album (Turning Point) |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Ollison, Rashod D.. "A maturing Mario", The Baltimore Sun, 2006-12-27. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/GO-Mario/dp/B000J3FBRK/sr=8-1/qid=1169421484/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4235702-4903269?ie=UTF8&s=music
- ^ Adler, Shawn. "Mario Sheds A Tear For 'Freedom,' Says He Wants To Direct", MTV.com, 2006-12-19. Retrieved on December 19, 2006.
