Macy Gray

When Macy Gray hit big with “I Try” in 1999, she was heralded as an eccentric neo-soul star with the kind of flighty mind that seldom comes off as more than merely cloying. Was she really that crazy? Did her mix of grandeur and diffidence owe to something less suspect than a master plan? The answers still seem to be yes and no, which at least hints at the sentiment laced through 2007's Big. Gray still boasts a gruff, grainy voice uncommon in the world of R&B, and her uniqueness has managed to rise even as her stock has fallen. 

Updated 10/26/2009