Terius Nash's mother died of ovarian cancer when he was in eighth grade. After that, Nash was raised by his grandfather, who loved the music of Sam Cooke and Al Green.
Today, Nash is following in the footsteps of R&B's greatest. He's performing under the stage name The-Dream. His star has already risen. In 2008, a track he wrote for Rihanna, "Umbrella," earned a Grammy nomination for song of the year.
The-Dream's latest CD exceeds the high expectations set by that nomination. The album thrives on Nash's commanding vocal performance. He doesn't just sing; he interprets the essence of every song.
The production work of Christopher "Tricky" Stewart seals the deal. On "Walking on the Moon" (featuring Kanye West), Stewart splices synth and beats into a sonic trance.
Male R&B singers haven't been a hot ticket in pop music for some time. The-Dream might just change that.