Skylar Grey

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986), who goes by the stage name Skylar Grey, is an American singer and songwriter from Mazomanie, Wisconsin. In 2004, under the pseudonym Holly Brook, at the age of 17, she signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group and a recording contract with Linkin Park’s Machine Shop Recordings imprint. In 2006, she also released her debut album, Like Blood Like Honey, under the aforementioned labels. In 2010, she co-wrote Eminem and Rihanna's hit single "Love the Way You Lie", alongside Eminem and British record producer Alex da Kid, who subsequently signed her to his label imprint, KIDinaKORNER. Grey is best known as a guest vocalist on several hit singles, including Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go", Diddy's "Coming Home", Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor", Nicki Minaj's "Bed of Lies", and Macklemore's "Glorious". Grey's second album, Don't Look Down, was released in July 2013, and her third and most recent one, Natural Causes, on September 23, 2016. 2Life and career 31994–2004: Early life and career beginnings As a child, Grey performed professionally in a folk duo with her mother, called Generations. Together, with producer and engineer Randy Green, they independently produced three albums, Dream Maker, Lift Me, and Millennial Child / Waiting for You. Grey started her first band at the age of 15, after 'sneaking' into bars and working with jazz musicians Jeff Eckles, Tim Whalen and Leo Sidran in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2003, Grey moved to Los Angeles and recorded a demo under the alias Holly Brook, which would be her stage name for several year