The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Andra Day got musical influence from her parents since childhood, fostering her interest in the arts. She is one of four children of her African American parents and the only member of her family to pursue a music career.
Andra, a singer-songwriter and actress, is most famous for her smash hit song “Rise Up” from the 2015 Grammy-nominated album Cheers to the Fall.
The Washington-born singer had a humble start in music with unplugged covers and mashups on her YouTube channel. With her rising popularity, Warner Bros. Records offered her a record deal, starting her era in the music industry.
With her first studio album, Cheers to the Fall, the singer-songwriter was nominated for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards in 2016. She has also made a name for herself in the acting industry with phenomenal performances.
The R&B and soul singer has been featured in several movies and TV shows. However, her first significant film role was as the iconic singer Billie Holiday in the biographical drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
She won a Golden Globe and a BET Award for the movie and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category.
Andra Day’s Parents Are the Reason Behind Her Soulful Voice
Andra was born to Delia and Joseph Batie in Edmonds, Washington. However, her family moved to Southeast San Diego, California, when she was three, so it’s been her hometown since.
At her birth, her parents named her Cassandra Monique Batie. Later, after she took the stage name Andra Day.
The singer-songwriter’s parents used to work and pray at First United Methodist Church in Chula Vista, from where she started singing. Andra says her mother has a beautiful voice but never sings; she’s too shy, and her father, Joseph, sings compellingly.
Her mother, Delia, worked as a janitor in the same church for several years and was promoted to facilities manager. However, she retired from her church job and committed to a writing career.
Delia has written a children’s book, “I Hear the Wind Blow and Wonde.” She writes under the name D. A. Batie.
On the other hand, her father, Joseph, has a backyard grill-building business in Las Vegas.
Related: What Happened to Andra Day? Dealing With Imposter Syndrome And Her Views On Racism
Andra Day’s Parents Are Separated Yet Supportive of Her
The R&B and soul singer’s parents are divorced and lead separate lives. Her parents divorced when she was only 17 years old. Andra’s mother, Delia, stays with her in the San Fernando Valley.
Despite their divorce, her parents dedicated themselves to supporting their children in each phase of their lives. Additionally, her parents often accompany the Golden Globe Award winner during her special events.
After Andra won the 2021 Golden Globe, she expressed her gratitude to her parents in her speech and said, “The people who were in the room with me was first of all my family, my mother and father in the room with me, which makes me just so happy because they put up with me for so long. I mean damn, you know.”
With her Golden Globe win, she became the second Black actress to receive the Golden Globes since 1986, won by Whoopi Goldberg.
Also Read: Victoria Monet’s Parents Are Separated: She Was Raised By Her Mom & Grandmom
Meet Andra Day’s Siblings: A Sister And Two Brothers
The Strange Fruit singer has an elder sister, Nadea Guillory, and two younger brothers, Joshua and Jaxon. Every sibling has carved a path for themselves and excels in their careers.
Her elder sister, Nadea Guillory, has three businesses in Seattle that work with children. Additionally, she has worked as a toddler teacher at a busy daycare and owns “Wood You Take Me Home.”
Similarly, her brother, Joshua, has a unique business restoring antique furniture. He is married to Maryam Meow and has two adorable children, a son and a daughter. Joshua is available on Instagram, sharing glimpses of his family life.
Like her sister, her youngest brother, Jaxon, attended the same arts high school, aiming to follow in her footsteps. However, he left school early and continued his music career, planning to release his debut album.
Apart from his music career, Jaxon has an impressive professional career. He started as a Production Control Specialist at SAIC and continued to work at KES, Inc. for more than six years in different roles. Currently, he is the Technical Project Manager at Noblis MSD.
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A Softwarica College graduate, Anish Thapa’s passion for insightful articles led him to content writing to uncover and create impact-driven content that delivers value to readers. With more than three years of expertise as a seasoned content writer combined with his fascination for Hollywood and Sports, his well-curated articles reflect his dedication to quality and excellence.
