Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman (born December 10, 1985),¹ known professionally as Raven-Symoné or Raven, is an American actress, comedienne, voice actress, singer-songwriter, fashion designer, television producer, and model. She is best known for her television roles as Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show, Nicole Lee on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Galleria Garibaldi in The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2, and as Raven Baxter on her own show, That's So Raven. Raven has also lent her voice to the animated series Kim Possible, for the character Monique and to a children's show based on different fairy tale stories, Happily Ever After. Raven-Symoné also owns a "how-to" video website, Raven-Symoné Presents.² Raven-Symoné is currently lending her voice as the character Iridessa, from the Disney Tinker Bell film franchise.

Early life

Raven-Symoné was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Lydia (née Gaulden) and Christopher B. Pearman. Raven-Symoné lived in Ossining, New York where she attended Park School.³⁴

As an infant, she worked for Atlanta's Young Faces Inc. Modeling Agency and was featured in local print advertisements. At age two, she worked with Ford Models in New York City and appeared in ads for Ritz crackers, Jell-O, Fisher-Price, and Cool Whip.

Career

1989-2001: Early roles

In 1989, Raven-Symoné auditioned for a part in the Bill Cosby movie, Ghost Dad. At three years old she was too young for the role, but Bill Cosby liked her so much that he found a part for her on his show, The Cosby Show, as his granddaughter Olivia. Raven-Symoné played the part of Olivia until 1992. She appeared as the younger version of Halle Berry's starring character, a headstrong biracial slave, in the TV movie Queen: The Story of an American Family, based on the book by Alex Haley. Within a year after The Cosby Show ended, she landed the role of Nicole Lee on the show Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. During her time on the show, she had her first big screen role in the movie The Little Rascals, playing Stymie's girlfriend. She was then cast in the Eddie Murphy comedy Dr. Dolittle (1998) and then Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) as Charisse Dolittle, the oldest daughter of Murphy's character. Meanwhile, she was in Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999).

2002-2007: That's So Raven and Cheetah Girls

In 2002, Raven-Symoné auditioned for a role on an up-coming series for the Disney Channel titled Absolutely Psychic, about a teenager with psychic abilities.⁵ Initially, she was cast as the best friend, but her role was changed to the lead character Raven Baxter and the series name changed to That's So Raven. The series debuted on January 17, 2003, becoming the Disney Channel's highest-rated and longest-running series. It spawned a franchise including soundtracks, dolls, episode DVDs, and video games. During her time on the show, Raven-Symoné provided the voice of Danielle in Fat Albert and made an appearance in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement both in 2004. In 2005 and 2007, That's So Raven was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program. The show also launched the channel's first spin-off, Cory in the House.

In 2003, Raven-Symoné starred as lead singer Galleria Garibaldi in The Cheetah Girls, a Disney Channel Original Movie about four city girls who dream of becoming superstars. The movie was the channel's first musical and was the basis for another franchise, including dolls, video games, platinum-selling soundtracks. and more.⁶ In 2006, Raven-Symoné reprised the role in The Cheetah Girls 2. The film and its soundtrack brought in more than 8 million viewers opening night, making it (at the time) Disney Channel's most-watched movie. Its soundtrack debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 and went on to become certified for platinum-level sales by the RIAA. Raven-Symoné served as executive producer of the film.⁷

The Cheetah Girls: One World began production, but Raven-Symoné did not return for another film, citing "territorial issues" and "catfights" on the set of Cheetah Girls 2, which led to a strained friendship with the other three actors.⁸ In a later interview, Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan and Kiely Williams denied the rumors, saying they all get along well.⁹

2008-present: New projects

Raven-Symoné's first leading film role was in as a new college student in College Road Trip (2008), which co-starred Martin Lawrence as her father. The film was #2 opening weekend, grossing $13,601,419. It went on to gross $50,873,923 worldwide. She provides the voice of the light fairy Iridessa in the Disney Fairies direct-to-DVD film series, which includes Tinker Bell, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, Tinker Bell: A Winter Story and Tinker Bell: A Race Through the Seasons. She appeared in Chris Rock's 2009 documentary Good Hair. She is currently working on a movie called Revenge of the Bridesmaids for ABC Family, which will start filming in April 2010.

Music

1990-1999: Career development

Raven-Symoné began her singing career at the age of five, when her father signed her to MCA Records. She spent that year and the next taking vocal lessons from Melissa Elliott. Her first album, Here's to New Dreams, was released on June 22, 1993, which spawned two singles: "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of" and "Raven Is the Flavor". "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of" reached #68 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself however was not very successful, and she was dropped from MCA Records in 1995.

In 1996, Raven-Symoné and her father founded RayBlaize Records, but she signed a contract with Crash Records the next year, to distribute Undeniable, which was released in May 1999. The album yielded one single: "With a Child's Heart", a remake of a Michael Jackson tune.

2002-2005: First commercial success

Raven-Symoné sang some songs on the That's So Raven soundtrack album, which debuted and peaked at #44 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 copies.¹¹

In early 2003, she signed a deal with Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned label. In January 2004, prior to the release of her first album on Hollywood, she released a five-song EP, This Is My Time Advance EP to promote the album. On September 21, 2004, she released the full album This Is My Time, which included the single "Backflip", which received heavy rotation on both Disney Channel, as well on BET and MTV. The album debuted and peaked at #51 on the Billboard 200 selling 19,000 copies in its first week of release and becoming her most successful album. This Is My Time has sold 235,000 copies in the U.S. and 1,235,000 copies worldwide.

In 2005 Raven-Symoné embarked on a mini-concert tour to promote the album. She made guest spots during summer 2005.

Undeniable was bought by TMG Records, who re-released it as From Then Until... in November 2006 with a different track selection. She went on the "This Is My Time Tour", and sang some tracks on the album That's So Raven Too!, which is the second soundtrack album from the series That's So Raven, also released in 2006. The soundtrack debuted and peaked at #44, on the Billboard 200, selling 22,600 copies in its first week.^{citation needed} Since then, the soundtrack has sold 200,000 copies (as of 2007). During the tour for the album, Raven-Symoné recorded the show on DVD format on June 25, 2006 in the show house Coliseo Roberto Clemente in Puerto Rico, and additional recordings on July 22, 2006 in Los Angeles, in High Definition.

2007-2009: Raven-Symoné

Her fourth studio album Raven-Symoné was released on April 29, 2008.¹² The album features production by Sean Garrett (Beyoncé), The J.A.M. (Leona Lewis), Knightwritaz, and The Clutch (Timbaland, Ciara). The only single released was "Double Dutch Bus" a remake of Frankie Smith's 1981 funk track. The single was released to radio on February 9, while the video was released on February 18, 2008. The album debuted at #159 on Billboard's Top 200. She planned to headline her first all-arena tour "The Pajama Party Tour" in Spring 2008, to promote her album, but due to what promoters call "unforeseen difficulties" the tour was postponed until further notice.

Also, during the Summer of 2008, Raven-Symoné was the host of Disney's Block Party Tour.¹³ During the middle of her 2008 Summer tour, it was officially announced that after completing her 2 CD deal with Hollywood Records, she had decided not to renew her contract.

2009-present

In an interview with Teenmag.com, she announced that in late 2009, she would return to the studio to record her next album.¹⁴ She said that the album will be "R&B, most definitely.....with an alternative base for the lyrics". She said, "It's good to go out there and spread your wings and find new talent and work with people you haven't worked with before. I'd love to find the next Pharrell or the next someone who's coming up and no one really knows yet, At the same time, I'd love to work with the Clutch and the J.A.M. again".¹⁵

Musical style, records and sellers

Raven-Symoné's music is predominantly R&B and Hip Hop and has included ballads and pop. She co-wrote several songs on This Is My Time and That's So Raven Too!. Her musical influences include Janet Jackson, Brandy, and Madonna. She has her third contract with a major label, MCA Records - the first and only youngest artist who signed with MCA, and Hollywood Records. She has sold more than 6 million records worldwide and is the fourth Disney Channel artist to achieve best-selling albums during the 2000s.

Filmography

Production

Discography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Raven-Symoné

• Official website
• Raven-Symoné on the Hollywood Records website
• Raven-Symoné at Allmusic
• Raven-Symoné at the Internet Movie Database