Tarrey Torae
American singer-songwriter and record producer
| Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B · soul · house |
| Occupations | Singer · songwriter · record producer · executive producer |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouse | J. Ivy (m. 2005) |
| Awards | 2× GRAMMY Award winner · 6× Showtime at the Apollo winner |
| Website | tarreytorae.com |
Tarrey Torae is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Chicago, Illinois.[1] She contributed vocals and songwriting to Kanye West's Grammy Award–winning album The College Dropout (2004), including the song "Family Business", and sang on John Legend's Grammy-winning debut album Get Lifted (2004).[2][3][4] She was a featured vocalist and executive producer on The Poet Who Sat by the Door (2022) and The Light Inside (2023) by her husband, poet J. Ivy, which won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album in 2023 and 2024 respectively.[5][6] A six-time winner of Showtime at the Apollo, she has also toured as the lead vocalist for rapper Slick Rick.[7][8]
Early life
Torae was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, where she studied ballet and contemporary dance as a child.[1] She earned a bachelor's degree in political science with a pre-law emphasis from Mississippi Valley State University in 1996, and began a master's program before leaving to pursue music.[8][9]
Career
2000s: Early work and collaborations
Torae won Showtime at the Apollo six times as a vocalist.[7][2] In 2004 she contributed vocals and co-wrote lyrics on "Family Business" from Kanye West's debut album The College Dropout,[3] and provided additional lead and background vocals on John Legend's debut album Get Lifted.[4] Both albums won Grammy Awards. She later appeared in the Netflix documentary series jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (2022), which chronicled the making of The College Dropout.[7] In 2008 she was featured on "Made Man" from Pete Rock's album NY's Finest.[10]
Torae has toured as the lead stage vocalist for rapper Slick Rick, and has toured with Talib Kweli, including dates with The Roots and Common.[8][11]
2010s–present: Solo recordings
Torae released her debut solo album, The Sweetest Survivor, in 2017.[12][13] She has released house music singles including "Freedom Ride" (2021), produced by Grammy-nominated Chicago house producer Terry Hunter on his T's Box label.[14] Her second album, Catching Feelings, was released in 2022, followed by a live companion album, Catching Feelings: Live in Chicago.[15][7] In 2020, Rolling Out profiled her music as focused on "love, healing and soul",[1] and in 2026 she discussed her single "Little Girl", written to empower Black girls, with BlackDoctor.org.[2]
Work with J. Ivy
Torae is the longtime musical partner of poet and recording artist J. Ivy. She was featured on his Grammy-nominated album Catching Dreams (2020) and served as a featured vocalist and executive producer on The Poet Who Sat by the Door (2022), which won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album in 2023.[5][6] She was also featured on his follow-up album The Light Inside (2023), which won the same category in 2024; the pair performed together on The Jennifer Hudson Show in support of the album.[16] Press outlets have described Torae as a two-time Grammy Award winner for her work on the two albums.[2][7] She has toured internationally with J. Ivy, including the Beauty of the Journey Tour.[7]
Production
Torae served as executive producer of the comedy film Self Served starring comedian Just Nesh.[17]
Personal life
Torae married poet and recording artist J. Ivy on September 4, 2005, in Chicago.[18]
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
- Catching Feelings: Live in Chicago[7]
Singles
- "Marching On"
- "Let It Go"
- "Freedom Ride" (produced by Terry Hunter, 2021)[14]
- "In Time"
- "Little Girl" (2026)[2]
Selected guest appearances
| Year | Title | Artist | Album | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Family Business" | Kanye West | The College Dropout | Additional vocals, co-writer[3] |
| 2004 | — | John Legend | Get Lifted | Additional lead and background vocals[4] |
| 2008 | "Made Man" | Pete Rock | NY's Finest | Featured vocals[10] |
| 2020 | — | J. Ivy | Catching Dreams | Featured vocals[5] |
| 2022 | — | J. Ivy | The Poet Who Sat by the Door | Featured vocals, executive producer[5] |
| 2023 | — | J. Ivy | The Light Inside | Featured vocals[16] |
References
- "Grammy-certified singer Tarrey Torae provides love, healing and soul with music". Rolling Out. April 1, 2020.
- "Grammy-Winning Singer/Songwriter Tarrey Torae Talks Creating A Soundtrack To Heal The Souls Of Black Girls". BlackDoctor.org. 2026.
- The College Dropout (liner notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam Recordings. 2004.
- Get Lifted (liner notes). John Legend. GOOD Music/Columbia Records. 2004.
- "Grammy-Winning Poet J. Ivy Is Living His Decades-Long Dream". Vocalo, Chicago Public Media. 2023.
- "J. Ivy Talks Being the Grammy-Winning 'Poet Who Sat by the Door'". Billboard. 2023.
- "Tarrey Torae On Showtime at The Apollo, Winning A Grammy, J. Ivy, Music Marketing & More". iLLANOiZE.
- "Tarrey Torae". SoulTracks.
- "About Tarrey Torae". TarreyTorae.com.
- NY's Finest (liner notes). Pete Rock. Nature Sounds. 2008.
- "CAW Presents: Tarrey Torae". Eighth Blackbird.
- "Tarrey Torae – The Sweetest Survivor (Review)". SoulTracks.
- "The Sweetest Survivor, by Tarrey Torae". Bandcamp. November 23, 2017.
- "Tarrey Torae – Freedom Ride (Produced by Terry Hunter)". Traxsource.
- "Catching Feelings – Album by Tarrey Torae". Apple Music. 2022.
- "The Jennifer Hudson Show — J. Ivy and Tarrey Torae". The Jennifer Hudson Show.
- Self Served (motion picture credits). Starring Just Nesh.
- "Grammy Award-winning performer and designer Tarrey Torae". Rolling Out. August 24, 2013.