Singer Deborah Cox is about to make Canadian Music Hall of Fame history by becoming the first Black woman to be inducted since its inception in 1978.
“I feel incredibly grateful to experience this true milestone moment,” Cox said in a statement per Billboard. “… As the first Black female inductee, I am honored to have the chance to show our younger generations that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to with hard work, dedication and passion.”
Her induction will be accompanied by a performance at the 51st Juno Awards held on May 15 at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.
“Deborah is a multi-dimensional artist who has been entertaining and captivating audiences around the world for over 25 years,” Allan Reid, president and CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences/The Juno Awards, added.” Her resounding voice and powerful performances have made her an international icon.”
Cox became a global name when her 90s smash hits “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” and “Who Do U Love” catapulted into the mainstream charts.
Cox is only the second Black person to be inducted. Pianist Oscar Peterson was inducted in 1978. The multi-talented singer is currently starring in BET’s “First Wives Club” series.
In 2020, Cox went viral after #DeborahCoxChallenge took off online. Queen Naija Keke Palmer, Tiffany Evans and Lizzo all sang “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here,” originally released on her Grammy-winning sophomore album, “One Wish,” in 1998.
“The song really is a test of your vocal ability. The song takes you on a vocal journey. It tells a story and I think that’s important as a singer: to be able to establish and show that side as well,” she told TMZ at the time. “Sometimes the performance will not only come out of you trying to find the notes. Sometimes, the feeling comes out. That’s what makes you hit the note. It’s because of how you feel. It’s how you conjure up that emotion that makes you sing that note.”
