Born on March 10, 1977, in Los Angeles, California, Robin Thicke followed in the tradition of his entertainment parents (Gloria Loring and Alan Thicke) and pursued a singing career. He had a major hit with "Lost Without U" from his 2006 platinum albumThe Evolution of Robin Thicke. Other albums have includedSomething Else, Sex Therapy and Love After War. Thicke is married to actress Paula Patton.
QUOTES
"At 7 years old, I was listening to Michael Jackson and Prince; Van Halen and Poison. I didn't relate to the loud and long hair as much as I did the soulfulness."
– Robin Thicke
Background
Robin Thicke was born on March 10, 1977, in Los Angeles, California, the son of singer/songwriter Gloria Loring and songwriter/television actorAlan Thicke. The younger Thicke took to music as well during his youth, and by his early teens began crafting tunes.
Thicke was signed to a production company by soul/adult contemporary artist Brian McKnight and, via that connection, would work with Interscope Records, going on to craft hits for a number of top recording artists. By his 20s, Thicke had decided that he wanted to enter the world of performance as well, and was subsequently mentored by Andre Harrell.
Samples Discoed Beethoven
Backed by executive Jimmy Iovine, Thicke eventually released 2003's Beautiful World. The album featured "When I Get You Alone," which sampled the Walter Murphy disco hit "A Fifth of Beethoven" from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. (The video featured a long-haired Thicke riding through New York City as a bike messenger.)
'Evolution' and 'Lost Without U'
World's sales didn't fare well, but Thicke persevered, continuing to write songs for others and eventually joining with R&B/hip-hop producer Pharrell Williams, whose label, Star Trak, had a distribution deal with Interscope. Under the imprint, Thicke released the 2006 album The Evolution of Robin Thicke, which featured the tender "Lost Without U." The hit was penned by Thicke himself and held the No. 1 spot on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop charts for weeks.Evolution, which went to No. 5 on Billboard's main albums chart and earned platinum status, also featured collaborations with songstress Faith Evans and rapper Lil Wayne.
Thicke came back in 2008 with the album Something Else, with the lead single "Magic" reaching the Top 10 on the R&B/hip-hop charts. The following year, Thicke released his fourth album, Sex Therapy, earning another No. 1 R&B spot with the smoldering title track. In December 2011, he put forth Love After War.
Major Soul Influence
Robin Thicke's music and vocal styles are heavily influenced by 1970s soul, with the singer naming Marvin Gaye and Al Greenamong his influences. (He's also relied upon their work in prominent samples.) Thicke's sound has woven in other genres that include hip-hop, disco, electronic pop and symphonic compositions, with his lyrics ranging from romantic crooning to bedroom seduction to social commentary.
The singer has had a long-term relationship with actress Paula Patton, star of films like Hitch, Precious and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. The two met and began dating as teens.
They wed in 2005 and have a son.
Working in TV as well, Thicke starred in 2012 as one of the mentors on the ABC music competition Duets. The following year, he starred on the BET reality show Real Husbands of Hollywood. Soon after, he was cast in the indie drama Abby in the Summer(2013).
In the spring of 2013, Thicke released an unrated version of the video for his single "Blurred Lines," featuring Pharrell Williams (who produced the track) and T.I., with a sample of Gaye's beloved dance romp "Got to Give It Up." Thicke's clip was banned from YouTube due to partial nudity, receiving plenty of online buzz and scrutiny. He also found himself in legal trouble over the song as well. The family of singer Marvin Gaye is suing Thicke and Pharrell Williams, claiming the song copies more from "Got to Give It Up" than just a sample. The family is seeking damages and a share of the song's earnings.
· A Beautiful World (2003)
· The Evolution of Robin Thicke (2006)
· Something Else (2008)
· Sex Therapy (2009)
· Love After War (2011)
· Blurred Lines (2013)