Robin Thicke Biography

news-detailsBorn in Los Angeles on March 10, 1977 to actress Gloria Loring and entertainer Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke showed an interest in music since his early age and began playing piano at the age of twelve as an outlet to express himself.

By the age of fourteen, he could play any music that he heard on the radio. Three years later, Thicke signed a deal with Interscope Records and with no formal training, he began professionally writing and producing music for recording artists like Brandy, Brian McKnight, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, and Christina Aguilera.

In 2000, Thicke finally decided to record his own project. Titled "Cherry Blues Sky" and entirely produced by himself, the album focused more on blue-eyed soul and had "When I Get You Alone" featuring samples from Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven" as its lead single. Unfortunately, due to a very little promotion, his debut album could only enter at number 152 on Billboard Hot 200 and reached a total of 63,000 copies on sales since it was released in 2002.

Though his debut album received a not-quite positive response from music fans, Thicke refused to step back. He decided to re-release the album with a new title "A Beautiful World". Carrying the same tracks as the previous released edition, the record added two bonus tracks, "A Beautiful World" and "She's Gangsta". The album managed to peak at number 4 on Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart since it was debuted in 2003.

After signing a deal with The Neptunes' label, Star Trak, Thicke entered the recording room again to cook up new materials for his sophomore major studio album "The Evolution of Robin Thicke". Led by a Pharrell Williams-featuring song "Wanna Love U Girl", the effort came out in October 2006. It climbed to number 5 on Hot 200 and peaked at the hot spot of Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

While continuing to make a break in music industry in 2005, Thicke married his longtime girlfriend, actress Paula Patton, whom he began dating at the age of 16. The couple welcomed a son named Julian Fuego in 2010.

Aside from his activity of making new music for his own project, Thicke continued either writing, co-writing songs for other artists. In April 2007, he teamed up with African-American singer Angela Via to co-write Via's "Wrong for You". He was also featured on 50 Cent's "Follow My Lead" off Cent's third album "Curtis" and was enlisted by producer Polow Da Don to play piano on Usher's "Love in This Club".

Right after finishing a roadshow for a promotional project of his second album, Thicke worked on his third effort "Something Else". Described as "wine and bubbly" type of music, the record benefitted from writing sessions that took place in different cities, a tactic employed by several of Thicke's idols, including Marvin Gaye.

Released on September 30, 2008, the Pro J-produced album lined up Lil Wayne and Mary J. Blige as guest stars. Sold 136,944 copies on its first week of sales, "Something Else" charted at number three on both Hot 200 and Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

The following year came "Sex Therapy", his fourth LP. Though the album could only place him at the peak position of the ninth place on Hot 200, its title track gave him his second chart-topper on U.S. R&B Songs chart following his "Lost Without U" off his sophomore set. He toured with Alicia Keys in 2010.

In the next chapter of his music career, Thicke released "Love After War" in 2011. "I learned what true compassion and patience is about. You think you're a man, or you think you're grown, until you have a child and you have to see what a woman goes through when she has a baby -- and how it changes her body, [it] changes her mindset," he said. "I had to kick into gear because I love nobody more than my wife in this world. It was actually wonderful for me. Julian has changed everything -- every move I make, I know that it will affect him, his growth and his happiness."

He reached the peak of his career yet with his sixth album "Blurred Lines". The lead single of the same name peaked at No. 1 on Hot 100, marking his first ever chart topper on the rundown. Despite controversy of its raunchy lyrics and music video, the single ruled the chart for multiple weeks.

By the mid-year of 2013, the single reigned the list for seventh week officially posting the longest command for a Hot 100 topper of the year. It passed Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" (featuring Wanz) which sat at the top spot for six nonconsecutive weeks between February and April.

In the United Kingdom, it became the second best-selling single of 2013 behind another William's collaboration, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky".

In early 2014, Thicke shocked fans when he announced his separation from wife Patton. In a joint statement, they said, "We will always love each other and be best friends, however, we have mutually decided to separate at this time." Prior to making the announcement, he was spotted hanging out with many different women at some occasions. His controversial performance with Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards reportedly also contributed to the split.

However, Thicke didn't want to give up on Patton. He tried to win back his actress wife by dedicating a song to her and declaring his love for her at recent concerts. He even penned a song for her, titled "Get Her Back". He debuted the track during his set at 2014 Billboard Music Awards in May. The song was confirmed as the lead single off his new album, which he later revealed would be titled "Paula". "We got a lot to talk about on that subject," Thicke said of his new album in an interview on Steve Harvey's radio show. "I gotta impress her somehow. The truth shall set you free."

The record is set to be released on July 1 via Star Trak/Interscope Records. All the songs in the album, including other Patton-inspired tracks like "You're My Fantasy", "Still Madly Crazy", "Love Can Grow Back", "Forever Love" and "Lock the Door", were written and produced by Thicke himself.