Grace Beverly Jones, born on May 19, 1948, in Spanish Town, Jamaica, is a world-famous singer, model, and actress known for her bold, sharp style and powerful personality.
She became a major cultural icon in the 1970s and 1980s. Her unique look and musical talent have deeply influenced many modern pop stars, including Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj.
Grace grew up in Jamaica in a strict Pentecostal family. Her father was a minister, and her mother came from a family with deep church ties. When her parents moved to the United States, Grace and her siblings stayed behind with their grandmother and stepgrandfather, who ruled with strict discipline. At age 13, Grace moved to Syracuse, New York, to reunite with her parents.
In New York she studied theater in college, started wearing makeup and changing the way she was taught to live, and later moved to Philadelphia. There, she explored an unconventional lifestyle, working as a dancer and riding with the Hells Angels.
At 18, Grace signed with Wilhelmina Models. In 1970, she moved to Paris, sharing a hotel with actress Jessica Lange and model Jerry Hall. In Paris, her career took off. She modeled for high-fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent and posed for famous photographers like Helmut Newton. She appeared on the covers of Vogue and Elle. Even when faced with racial prejudice from agents who claimed her dark skin was hard to “sell,” Grace used the rejection as fuel to succeed.
In 1977, Grace signed a deal with Island Records. She released a series of successful disco albums Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979). She became a legendary fixture at New York City’s famous Studio 54 nightclub and served as a model and muse to artist Andy Warhol, who photographed her extensively.
By the early 1980s, Grace shifted her sound toward rock, reggae, and new wave. Working with producers like Chris Blackwell and the Compass Point All Stars, she released acclaimed albums like Warm Leatherette (1980) and Nightclubbing (1981). These albums featured unique covers of songs by David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Tom Petty, and The Police. She also co-wrote original tracks, including her famous hit “Pull Up to the Bumper.”
During this era, Grace teamed up with artist Jean-Paul Goude, with whom she had a son, Paulo.
The cover of her 1985 compilation album, Island Life, which showed her in an impossible, athletic dance pose, became one of the most famous album covers in history.
In 1984 she starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Destroyer. A year later, she played the iconic villain May Day in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985). She also starred as a vampire in Vamp, and appeared in the 1992 comedy Boomerang with Eddie Murphy.
Grace Jones’s last full-length studio album is Hurricane. Released on November 3, 2008. Her most recent major work consists of high-profile music collaborations and live touring.
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