Siedah Garrett

Siedah Garrett Bio

Siedah Garrett, born Deborah Christine Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and composer who has spent more than four decades writing songs and recording backing vocals for major recording artists. She is best known for her collaboration with Michael Jackson on the Bad album, which produced the duet “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and the hit single “Man in the Mirror”. Garrett has also earned recognition for her work in film music, including a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

A prolific collaborator, Garrett has worked with Quincy Jones, Madonna, Sergio Mendes, the Brand New Heavies, and many other artists across R&B, pop, and dance music. Beyond her session work, she has released solo material, toured internationally, and contributed to major motion picture soundtracks, Broadway projects, and global event ceremonies.

Early Life and Background

Siedah Garrett was born on June 24, 1960, in Los Angeles, California, and raised in the neighboring city of Compton. Born with the given name Deborah Christine Garrett, she decided at age 13 to change her first name, later explaining that she disliked the shortened versions of Deborah that people tended to use. She adopted the name Siedah, which she said means “shining and star-like.” Her mother worked as an interior designer and counted singer D.J. Rogers among her clients.

Garrett began singing as a child in Compton and grew up surrounded by the rich musical culture of Los Angeles. As a teenager, she joined a five-piece band called Black Velvet & Satin Soul, which performed Top 40 hits in local clubs. It was through her mother’s connection to D.J. Rogers that Garrett was first introduced to professional recording work at a young age.

Garrett attended Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. Her early exposure to live performance and the city music scene helped shape her vocal style and prepared her for a career in the recording industry.

Path to Music

Garrett’s professional career began in 1977, when D.J. Rogers recruited her as a background vocalist on his album Love, Music and Life, following an introduction through her mother. The experience opened the door to studio work and helped her build a foundation as a session vocalist. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, she continued to develop her skills and seek out opportunities to perform and record.

In 1980, Garrett appeared as a contestant on the television show Password Plus, gaining her first public exposure beyond the recording studio. She then joined the soul and funk outfit Plush, which released a self-titled album in 1982 on RCA Records. The experience with Plush gave Garrett valuable experience recording and touring with a group, and it helped establish her name in the R&B scene.

By the mid-1980s, Garrett had begun stepping out as a solo artist while also collaborating with established artists. She toured and recorded with Sergio Mendes during this period, appearing on three of his albums. Her work with Mendes and other major artists positioned her for a breakthrough moment in 1987 when she was invited to contribute to Michael Jackson’s landmark album Bad.

Siedah Garrett Career

Early Career (1977-1986)

Garrett began her professional career in 1977 as a background vocalist on D.J. Rogers’ album Love, Music and Life. Over the next several years, she built her reputation as a dependable session singer in the Los Angeles music scene. Her television debut came in 1980 with an appearance on Password Plus, followed by her membership in the RCA Records group Plush, which released its self-titled album in 1982.

As a solo artist in the early-to-mid 1980s, Garrett scored several charting singles, including “Don’t Look Any Further” with Dennis Edwards in 1984 and “Do You Want It Right Now?” in 1985 from the Fast Forward soundtrack. She also toured and recorded with Sergio Mendes, appearing on three of his albums during this period. These experiences established her as a versatile vocalist capable of moving between R&B, pop, and dance music.

Breakthrough (1987-1989)

The year 1987 marked a turning point in Garrett’s career when she became involved in Michael Jackson’s album Bad. She co-wrote “Man in the Mirror,” which became a number one hit and earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year, and she sang a duet with Jackson on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” which also reached number one. The collaboration also included Spanish and French language versions of the duet, recorded during the same sessions.

Garrett’s growing association with Jackson led to further work with Quincy Jones, who affectionately called her “Sid.” She co-wrote several songs for Jones’ Grammy Award-winning 1989 album Back on the Block, including “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me),” “Back On The Block,” and “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite),” and she sang lead vocals on tracks like “I Don’t Go for That” and “One Man Woman.” In 1988, Garrett released her own solo album, Kiss Of Life, which included the dance hit “K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”

In 1989, Garrett ventured briefly into acting, starring in an NBC sitcom pilot titled “Wally and the Valentines” alongside William Ragsdale, Audrey Meadows, Tatyana Ali, and Tevin Campbell.

Notable Works and Milestones

Among Garrett’s most celebrated works are her contributions to Michael Jackson’s Bad album, the song “Man in the Mirror,” and the duet “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” Her signature contribution to film music came with “Love You I Do,” written for the 2006 film Dreamgirls, which won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. She has also earned a second Oscar nomination for “Real In Rio” from the 2011 film Rio.

Siedah Garrett Award Nominations

Siedah Garrett has received two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song during her career. The first nomination came in 2007 for “Love You I Do” from the musical film Dreamgirls, performed by Jennifer Hudson. Her second nomination was for “Real In Rio,” co-written with Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown for the 2011 animated film Rio. Garrett has also received a Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year for her co-writing credit on Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.”

Siedah Garrett Awards Won

Garrett won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for co-writing “Love You I Do” from Dreamgirls, sharing the honor with composer Henry Krieger. In 2017, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The National R&B Music Society in Philadelphia, with the award presented by recording artist Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge. In 2022, Garrett was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C.

Siedah Garrett Family

Public information about Siedah Garrett’s immediate family is limited. Her mother worked as an interior designer and had a professional connection to singer D.J. Rogers, which led to Garrett’s first studio work in 1977.

Personal Life

In 2017, Siedah Garrett publicly announced that she had received a multiple sclerosis diagnosis while performing at the “Race to Erase MS” event. She has continued to write, perform, and collaborate with major artists in the years since, including work on the upcoming Broadway musical Black Orpheus and the 2023 film The Color Purple.