Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known professionally as Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a vocal style influenced by Billie Holiday. Her breakthrough came with the 1999 single "I Try", which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song preceded the release of her debut studio album, "On How Life Is" (1999). Since then, she has released ten studio albums.