Andra Day, born Cassandra Monique Batie on December 30, 1984, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress known for her work in R&B and soul music. She has won several awards, including a Grammy, a Children’s and Family Emmy, and a Golden Globe. She was also nominated for an Academy Award.
In 2015, Andra released her first album, “Cheers to the Fall.” At the 2016 Grammy Awards, this album was nominated for Best R&B Album, and her single “Rise Up” was nominated for Best R&B Performance. She performed “Rise Up” on The View, earning a Daytime Emmy Award nomination. She also appeared with Stevie Wonder in an Apple TV ad in late 2015. By 2020, she became a highly requested artist on Jazz Joy and Roy Global Radio.
Andra made her acting debut in 2021, playing Billie Holiday in the movie “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and was nominated for an Academy Award. She also won a Grammy for the movie’s soundtrack.
Andra Day was born on December 30, 1984, in Edmonds, Washington. She moved to Southern California at age three and grew up in Southeast San Diego. She started singing at the First United Methodist Church in Chula Vista and began taking dance lessons at age five. She attended Valencia Park Elementary School, which sparked her interest in performing arts. At 12, she discovered jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington, who influenced her style. She graduated from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts in 2003. In 2019, she became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
After high school, Andra worked various jobs, including as a children’s entertainer. In 2010, Stevie Wonder’s then-wife, Kai Millard, noticed her performing and introduced her to Wonder. Though no partnership was formed immediately, Wonder later introduced her to producer Adrian Gurvitz. Andra signed a development deal with Buskin Records in 2011 and a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2013, partly due to her popular YouTube covers and mashups.
Her debut album, “Cheers to the Fall,” was released on August 28, 2015, and received critical acclaim. NPR praised her voice for its confidence and range. The album and her song “Rise Up” were nominated for Grammy Awards. She performed at various events, including the Sundance Film Festival, the BET Awards, and on TV shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Good Morning America.
In 2015, “Rise Up” was used in a Beats by Dre ad featuring Serena Williams. Andra also appeared in an Apple TV commercial with Stevie Wonder. She toured nationally in 2015, opening for Lenny Kravitz. She performed at The White House and at a special concert on race in America.
In 2016, Andra partnered with McDonald’s and Coca-Cola for a campaign featuring her lyrics on 50 million cups. She began her “Cheers to the Fall” tour in November 2016 and performed at the Democratic National Convention. She received the Powerhouse Award at the Billboard Women in Music event in December 2016.
In 2017, Andra collaborated with Common on the song “Stand Up for Something” for the movie “Marshall.” The song was nominated for an Academy Award, and they performed it at the 2018 Oscars. She also performed at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C., in 2018.
In 2024, Andra performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Super Bowl LVIII pregame show.
Andra starred as Billie Holiday in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” and won a Golden Globe for her performance. She also received an Academy Award nomination and won a Grammy for the movie’s soundtrack. In 2021, she won a Children’s and Family Emmy for her work on the TV series “We the People.” In 2022, she was announced to star in the thriller “The Deliverance” alongside Mo’Nique, Omar Epps, Octavia Spencer, and Glenn Close.