Tiffany Monique Ryan is an American singer, songwriter, and background vocalist. She has performed as a background vocalist for

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

as one of "The Mamas" since 2007 and is currently the Vocal Director and Lead Background Vocalist for the

Renaissance World Tour The Renaissance World Tour is the ongoing ninth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was announced on February 1, 2023, in support of her seventh studio album, ''Renaissance'' (2022). The concert run began on May 10, 2023, at ...

and a member of Beyonce's background vocalist quartet, "Pure Honey". Tiffany released an EP, ''Nemesis'' in June 2010 and followed with various single releases in 2011 and 2016. She is an 8-year esophageal cancer survivor.

Early life

Monique was born to Martha Ann Marshall (née Johnson) and Jerry Lee Marshall in

Hermitage, Tennessee Hermitage, Tennessee, is a neighborhood, located in eastern Davidson County, adjacent to – and named in honor of – The Hermitage, the historic home of Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States. Although the area is incorporated ...

. She was musically influenced at an early age by her aunt, Beverly, who was a singer, musician and a former

backing vocalist A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

for Chaka Khan. At the age of three, Monique sang her first church solo, "Soon and Very Soon", while still living in Tennessee. Following the divorce of her parents, Monique and her mother moved to

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Immaculate Conception High School in

Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...

. There, she was an honor student, as well as a cheerleader, member of the track team and founder of the school's gospel choir. She graduated from Immaculate in 1995. After high school, Monique was awarded a full scholarship to

Morgan State University Morgan State University (Morgan State or MSU) is a public historically black research university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland's historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In 1867, the university, then known ...

in Baltimore, Maryland, where she majored in music education. After a brief hiatus, Monique transferred to William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, in 2000, where she changed her major to Journalism and graduated in 2004.

Background vocalist

While attending Morgan State University, Monique was approached by a friend to join a local singing group, OnPoint. After agreeing to join the group, Monique performed with OnPoint from 1997 to 1999. OnPoint was featured on K-Ci & JoJo's "Fee Fie Foe Fum" Remix on MCA Records in 1998. The group disbanded in 1999 citing creative differences. Monique worked as an administrative assistant from 2002 to 2006 at a pharmaceutical company, while continuing to pursue music part time. During that period, she expanded her resume as a professional singer by performing as a backing vocalist for

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...

Regina Belle Regina Elaine Belle (born July 17, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter who started her career in the mid-1980s. Known for her singles " Baby Come to Me" (1989) and "Make It Like It Was" (1990), Belle's most notable for two hit duets, both with ...

, and Jeff Fox. In March 2007, while working at the pharmaceutical company, Monique was contacted by Beyoncé's music director and asked to join the band for Beyoncé's upcoming tour,

The Beyoncé Experience The Beyoncé Experience was the third concert tour by American singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was staged in support of her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The Beyoncé Experience consisted of 96 shows in 2007 over five legs. Fan-club tickets ...

. Monique immediately resigned from the pharmaceutical company and joined the band. She has performed with Beyoncé & The Mamas for a total of seven tours, including the Beyoncé Experience Tour (2007), I Am...Sasha Fierce Tour (2009), the I Am... Yours performance in Las Vegas, Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, On The Run Tour and The Formation World Tour. She also performed with her for the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show and several other iconic performances. Tiffany performing with Beyonce

Monique became the assistant vocal arranger and lead background vocalist for Beyoncé in 2018. Since her promotion, she trained and arranged the choir that was assembled for Beyoncé's Coachella "Beychella" performances in Palm Springs, CA. She was also the lead background vocalist for Beyonce and Jay-Z's "On The Run 2" World Tour and performed as lead background vocalist and assistant vocal arranger with the singer for Kobe Bryant's memorial at the Staple Center in 2020. Tiffany was elevated to Vocal Director for the

in 2023 and performed as one of Beyonce's background vocalists, Pure Honey. Tiffany Monique at Renaissance World Tour

As a veteran background vocalist for many recording artist, Tiffany's story as a background vocalist was highlighted in in ''

20 Feet From Stardom ''20 Feet from Stardom'' is a 2013 American documentary film directed by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville and produced by Gil Friesen, a music industry executive whose curiosity to know more about the lives of background singers inspired the ...

'', which won Best Music Film in 2014 for the

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

and an

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Best Documentary Feature.

Solo career

Following the I Am...Sasha Fierce Tour, Monique began her career as a solo recording artist. She released the EP ''Nemesis''" in June 2010, which featured five songs written by her and produced by her then friend and producer, Kwiz. In July of that same year, Monique released her first music video, "Nemesis", via YouTube and social media. She released her second single and video, "Anytime", the following year. Tiffany underwent a dramatic brand overhaul following the release of her debut EP, including an almost 100-lb weight loss. She became a spokespoerson for Sparkpeople and was also featured in the book ''Beyond Sugar Shock'' by Connie Bennett, which focused on persons who experienced improved health and fitness after conquering sugar addiction. In March 2016, in celebration of her 1-year cancer treatment anniversary, Monique released "Braving The Storm", with proceeds from the song being donated to the American Cancer Society. In September 2016, Tiffany's husband, producer/composer Kwiz, released a socially-charged album entitled ''Blacklight Chronicles'', which featured Monique on two of its best performing songs: "Pushin' On" and "After Amen". In 2019, Monique's song "Nemesis", from her debut EP of the same title, regained success after being featured by the NBA during a James Harden highlight reel in March.

Personal life

Monique married Jeffery Riddick Jr. in July 2000 and they had a son together in 2005. They divorced in 2010. In September 2016, Monique married Kevin "Kwiz" Ryan, a music producer and composer, in Riviera Maya, Mexico. They are also joint owners of Rhythm 252 Music Group. She has spoken extensively about weight discrimination and obstacles she's encountered in the music industry as a plus-sized artist. In 2011, following some health concerns, she lost almost 100 pounds. In 2015, she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and underwent extensive surgery as part of her treatment. She made a full recovery and celebrated five years cancer free on March 4, 2020. Tiffany is a member of

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of sixteen stud ...

sorority

Discography

* ''Nemesis'' (EP) (2010) * "I Feel A Spark" (single) (2011) * "Braving The Storm" (single) (2016)

Filmography

References

External links

Tiffany Monique Official Website

Tiffany Monique Instagram
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monique, Tiffany African-American women singer-songwriters American contemporary R&B singers 1977 births Living people Morgan State University alumni Singers from Nashville, Tennessee Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Singers from Newark, New Jersey 21st-century African-American women singers Singer-songwriters from New York (state)