Usher is an American singer, songwriter, actor, businessman, and dancer who was born on October 14, 1978. He was born in Dallas, Texas, but grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before relocating to Atlanta. His mother entered him in local singing competitions when he was 12 years old, and he caught the eye of a music A&R from LaFace Records. Usher, his self-titled first album, was released in 1994, and he ascended to stardom in the late 1990s with the publication of My Way, his second album (1997). It gave birth to his first number-one single in the United States, "Nice & Slow," as well as the top-two singles "You Make Me Wanna..." and "My Way." The number-one singles "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad," as well as the top-three song "U Don't Have to Call," were from his third album, 8701 (2001). It sold eight million copies worldwide and earned him his first two Grammy Awards in 2002 and 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.