Sisqó
Sisqó performing in 2018
Sisqó performing in 2018
Background information
Birth nameMark Althavan Andrews
Born (1978-11-09) November 9, 1978[1]
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • dancer
  • actor
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
Years active1995–present
Labels
Formerly of
Websitewww.sisqo.com

Mark Althavan Andrews (born November 9, 1978),[2][3] known professionally as Sisqó (stylized as SisQó), is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Following his tenure as the lead performer of R&B group Dru Hill, he quickly reached success as a solo act with his debut album Unleash the Dragon (1999), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Its singles, "Incomplete" and "Thong Song" peaked at number one and number three respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] His second album, Return of Dragon (2001) trailed commercially, as did his subsequent releases.

Early life

As a teen, Andrews worked at The Fudgery[5] in Harborplace at Baltimore's Inner Harbor with Larry "Jazz" Anthony, James "Woody" Green, and Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin. The quartet would be signed as the group Dru Hill to Island Records in 1996. He lived in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood at 908 Newington Avenue near Druid Hill Park, which is where the group got their name.

Career

After Woody departed Dru Hill in 1999 to pursue a solo career, it was decided that the other members would follow suit and issue their own solo albums. Sisqó's solo debut, Unleash the Dragon, was released on Def Soul Records in November 1999. Unleash the Dragon sold moderately at first, until the February 2000 release of its second single, the novelty "Thong Song". A runaway hit, "Thong Song" and its follow-up, "Incomplete", were major hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with "Thong Song" making it to number three, and "Incomplete" going to #1. This success resulted in Play Along Toys manufacturing a Sisqó doll in 2001.

Formed by Sisqó in 1999, LovHer was the first female quartet on the Def Soul label.[6] Their single "How It's Gonna Be" was featured on the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack in 2001.[7]

Conflicts within Dru Hill prevented the group from reuniting as planned in 2000. This is usually attributed to time conflicts during the recording of Sisqó's second solo LP. During this period, Sisqó branched out into hosting the dance competition program Sisqós Shakedown on MTV, and into film, taking on supporting roles in the films Get Over It (2001) with Kirsten Dunst and Snow Dogs (2002) with Cuba Gooding, Jr. He also starred as a vampire in Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Season 6 Episode 1). Although his second LP, Return of Dragon, released in June 2001, eventually went platinum, its singles "Can I Live" and "Dance for Me" performed far below expectations (apart from in the United Kingdom, where "Dance for Me" became his third top ten hit). By 2002, Sisqó reunited with Dru Hill, which released its third LP in late 2002. The LP underperformed, and the group was subsequently released from their recording contract.

In January 2008, Sisqó was a contestant on a reality show called "Gone Country."[8][9][10]

In 2010, Sisqó was a contestant on the British reality television show Celebrity Big Brother 7, which he placed 8th. He was the fifth contestant to be evicted, lasting 20 days.

Dru Hill released its third album, InDRUpendence Day, in 2010 as an independent release through Kedar Entertainment. The group also appeared at this time in the reality show Keith Sweat's Platinum House on BET's sister station Centric.

Sisqó continued to tour through the 2010s, both as a member of Dru Hill, and as a solo act. His third solo album, Last Dragon, was released on February 10, 2015. The singles, "A-List" and "L.I.P.s" were released ahead of the album, with the latter reaching number 23 on the US Adult R&B charts, becoming Sisqó's first charting US single since 2001's "Can I Live".

As of 2015, Sisqó, along with the other members of Dru Hill, claimed that their record label botched a record deal, costing them millions in the process.[11]

In 2016, Sisqó provided a rap counterpoint in a duet with country music singer Marie Osmond, in her song "Give me a Good Song", which was featured on Music Is Medicine, released on April 15, 2016.

In 2017, Sisqó, sang on a remake of his "Thong Song" produced by JCY.[12]

In 2018, Sisqo released a holiday book for children, titled "Sisqo's Perfect Christmas", with creative partner, Tilesha Brown.[13]

He represents Maryland in the American Song Contest, which began on March 21, 2022, on NBC.[14]

Personal life

Sisqó has a daughter, Shaione Andrews, born in 1995. He resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota with his wife Elizabeth Pham, who he has been romantically involved with since 2003.[15]
In July 2013, Sisqó appeared on the reality show Celebrity Wife Swap, where Elizabeth was "swapped" with the wife of 1990s pop singer Gerardo Mejía.[16]

He previously dated R&B singer Samantha Mumba from 2004 to 2005.[17]

Discography

with Dru Hill

Solo albums

Mixtape albums

  • Dragon Music[18][19] (2008)
  • The Return of the Dragon[20] (2010)

Compilation albums

  • 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Sisqó[21] (2006)

Extended plays

  • Thong Song – Best Of – EP[22] (2013)
  • Genesis[23][24] (2019)

Unreleased albums

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Get Over It! Dennis Wallace
2002 Snow Dogs Dr. Rupert Brooks
2003 Pieces of April Latrell
2006 Surf School Mo

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1996-03 Soul Train Himself Recurring Guest
1998-03 Top of the Pops Recurring Guest
2000 Showtime at the Apollo Episode: "Sisqo/Rudy Rush"
Making the Video Episode: "Sisqó: The Thong Song"
Saturday Night Live Episode: "Tobey Maguire/Sisqo"
Sisqó's Shakedown Main Host
MTV Cribs Episode: "Episode #1.2"
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards Main Co-Host
Linc's Silky-Silk Episode: "East Meets West"
2001 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Vladimir Kortensky Episode: "Really Big Season Opener"
2003 America's Most Talented Kid Himself Episode: "March 22, 2003" (judge)
2007 The Most Annoying Pop Songs.... We Hate to Love Episode: "Episode #1.4"
2008 Gone Country Main Cast: Season 1
I Love the New Millennium Recurrig Guest
2010 Celebrity Big Brother UK Main Cast: Season 7
2013 Celebrity Wife Swap Episode: "Gerardo/Sisqó"
2017 Kinda Funny: The Animated Series Episode: "Die Hard" (voice)
2018 Vixen Episode: "Hip Hop's New Star Was Born"
2019 Traveling the Stars Episode: "The Replicants"
2020 Unsung Episode: "Dru Hill"
Legends of Tomorrow Episode: "Swan Thong"
2022 American Song Contest Episode: "The Live Qualifiers Part 5" (contestant)

Commercials

Product/Brand Year Director Ref
Pepsi 2000 Unknown [27]

Tours

As supporting act
Featured act

Awards and nominations

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2001 Sisqó Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist Nominated
Unleash the Dragon Favorite R&B/Soul Album Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2000 Sisqó Male Artist of the Year Won
Male Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year Won
R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Won
New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Won
R&B/Hip-Hop Male Artist of the Year Won
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year Won
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2001 Sisqó Best New Artist Nominated
Thong Song Best R&B Male Vocal Performance Nominated
Best R&B Song Nominated
Unleash the Dragon Best R&B Album Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2001 Sisqó Best R&B Act Nominated
2000 Thong Song Best Video Nominated
Sisqó Best R&B Act Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2000 Sisqó Best Male Nominated
Best R&B Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2000 Thong Song Best Hip-Hop Video Won
Best New Artist Nominated
Best Dance Video Nominated
Thong Song (Remix) w/ Foxy Brown Best Video from a Film Nominated
Thong Song Viewer's Choice Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2001 Unleash the Dragon Favorite Male R&B/Soul Album Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2000 Sisqó Choice Male Artist Won
Thong Song Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Track Won
Sisqó Choice Breakout Artist Nominated
Incomplete Choice Song of the Summer Nominated

Books

Title Author Year Pages Note(s)
SisQó: The Man Behind the Thong Leah Furman 2001 201 Biography
SisQó's Perfect Christmas Tilesha Brown 2018 150 Co-written with Sisqó

References

  1. ↑ Birchmeier, Jason. "Sisqó > Biography". AllMusic.
  2. ↑ Tricia Bishop (February 21, 2001). "Some hot pursuits keep Sisqo busy". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Sisqo – Sisqo's birthday". Black History Daily. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  4. ↑ "Celebrity Big Brother: profile of all 2010 contestants". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  5. ↑ "About the Fudgery". The Fudgery. Archived from the original on 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  6. ↑ "About LovHer". MTV. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  7. ↑ "Ludacris, Gray, Musiq Bolster 'Rush Hour 2'". Billboard. 29 June 2001. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Gone Country Final Performance: Sisqo". CMT.
  9. ↑ Shaheem Reid (January 28, 2008). "Bobby Brown Goes Country: 'I Felt It Was Something I Could Conquer'". MTV. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Has Sisqo Gone Country? These Photos Say YES". Fun Times Guide to Franklin / Nashville TN. 4 November 2007.
  11. ↑ "Sisqo – Cheap Ass Execs Slayed My 'Dragon'". TMZ.
  12. ↑ "Sisqo's "Thong Song" Remix Gets a Fresh New Video & Surprise: It's Full of Thongs". Highsnobiety. 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  13. ↑ "Sisqo Releases New Book "Sisqo's Perfect Christmas: A SAUCEBERRIe Moon Golden Edition"". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. December 29, 2018.
  14. ↑ Malec, Brett (March 17, 2022). "Meet the 56 Musical Acts From American Song Contest, Including Jewel & More Famous Faces". E! Online. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  15. ↑ Gabler, Jay. "Sisqó lives in Maple Grove: 'No thongs out here!'". Blog.thecurrent.org.
  16. ↑ Newman, Jason. "Sisqo Tells All: Thong Maven Details His Wife-Swapping, Fudge-Slinging Exploits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  17. ↑ Lorna Nolan, "Loved-up Samantha won't watch ex Sisqo on CBB" Archived 12 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Herald.ie, 6 January 2010.
  18. ↑ "Dragon Music Mixtape by SisQo". Datpiff.com. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  19. ↑ "If you haven't downloaded the SisQó mixtape "Dragon Music", you can do so here". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2022-11-30. Alt URL
  20. ↑ "The Return Of The Dragon Mixtape by SisQo Hosted by DJ LETS BRING IT BACK (DJ L.B.I.B)". Datpiff.com. 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  21. ↑ "The Best of Sisqó: 20th Century Masters the Millennium Collection by Sisqó on Apple Music". itunes.apple.com. January 2006. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  22. ↑ "Thong Song – Best Of – EP by Sisqó on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. 15 February 2000. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  23. ↑ "Genesis – EP by Sisqó on Apple Music". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  24. ↑ "Sisqo of Dru Hill Releases New Solo EP "Genesis" (Stream)". youknowigotsoul.com. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  25. ↑ "Sisqo Stages Come Back With 'Last Dragon' Album". www.informationng.com. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  26. ↑ "Sisqo's 'Last Dragon' Will Serve As Singer's Return To Music". www.informationng.com. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  27. ↑ NME (July 6, 2000). "'ALISON' STARTING TO HAPPEN FOR SISQO". Liveguide. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  28. ↑ Jenison, David (19 April 2000). "No Doubt Can't Sink 'N Sync". E! Online. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  29. ↑ Evans, Rob (August 24, 2001). "Backstreet Boys return to the road without Shaggy". LiveDaily.citysearch.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2001. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  30. ↑ Liveguide. "Roc Tha Block @ Sydney Entertainment Centre". Liveguide. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  31. ↑ Schatz, Lake (February 27, 2019). ""Hammer's House Party Tour" features all your favorite '90s rap acts on one stage". Consequence.net. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  32. ↑ Langford, Jackson (September 20, 2019). "RNB Fridays Live 2019 Mystery Act Announced". Musicfeeds.com.au. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
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