Macy Gray became an artist by “pure accident,” but 25 years later she celebrates On How Life Is

It’s not often that you go to a concert and hear every single song from your favorite album.

But that’s exactly what will happen on Macy Gray’s tour for the 25th anniversary of her debut album “On How Life Is” – Gray will play all the songs in order, as well as other songs from her repertoire.

The fourth song on the setlist is “I Try,” which reached number one in Australia and peaked at number one on the Billboard Top 40 chart.

Gray also won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001 for “I Try.” She competed in that category with Christina Aguilera, Joni Mitchell, Madonna, Aimee Mann and Britney Spears.

On How Life Is was released in 1999 and sold over nine million copies. I Try was certified platinum, but Gray initially did not want to release the song as a single.

“I argued with my label because I thought it was too honorable,” Gray told ABC News.

“I found it too complicated. Most of the songs are really repetitive.”

Gray says she has given up trying to predict a hit.

“Sometimes you think you have the biggest hit of all time, and then you play it and everyone is quiet because they hate it,” she said.

“Or sometimes you write a song in five minutes and it’s the most popular thing you’ve ever done.”

Gray, who last performed live shows in Australia in 2015, will kick off her “On How Life Is” world tour in Australia in July.

In 2021, she returned to Australia dressed as Atlantis for the third season of “The Masked Singer”.

It was her second appearance in the series, after appearing as Sea Queen in the American version of the series.

Gray’s year-long celebration of “On How Life Is” will continue through 2025 in Europe, South America, Asia and the United States.

“A pure accident”

Gray didn’t always plan to be a singer.

“It was pure coincidence that I became an artist,” she says, after initially starting songwriting by chance.

Born Natalie McIntyre, the singer was bullied at school because of her voice and even stopped speaking in public for a while to avoid rejection and humiliation.

She says that even today, people still occasionally make fun of her voice.

“It doesn’t offend me like it used to,” she says.

“Now I say, ‘I’ll give $20 to the person who imitates me the best.'”

Macy Gray’s 25th anniversary tour “On How Life Is” begins in Hobart on July 3 before heading to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Wyong, Canberra, Wollongong and Sydney.