Deborah Cox + Fred Hammond - Hold Up The Light - BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Honors BeBe & CeCe

Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album, One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.

Cox ventured into acting in the 2000s, making her film debut in the Canadian drama film Love Come Down (2000) and her stage debut in 2004, in the title role in the Broadway musical Aida. She has since appeared in smaller films and several musical productions, including the horror-drama Jekyll & Hyde, the biographical musical Josephine and the musical adaptation of The Bodyguard. Cox's most recent studio albums, Destination Moon (2007) and The Promise (2008), have been released through her own independent record label, Deco Recording Group. In 2017, her single "Let the World Be Ours Tonight" became her 13th number-one hit on Billboard's Dance Club Songs over the span of three consecutive decades.[1] In 2016, Billboard listed Cox at 23rd on its list of the Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists.[2] An eight-time Juno Award nominee, she has won four awards and is often cited as Canada's top R&B artist
In 2010, it was announced that Cox would be joining fellow R&B singers Kelly Price and Tamia to form a supergroup.[19] While the trio recorded several tracks together, their joint album The Queen Project eventually failed to materialize due timing issues and label politics.[20] In 2011, Cox released the dance-heavy single "If It Wasn't for Love" through Deco Entertainment.[21] It became her eleventh chart topper on Billboard's Dance Club Songs and was to precede a new studio album which remained unreleased.[22] In September 2012, Cox gave her inaugural performance as the female lead Lucy in a revival of the musical Jekyll & Hyde which toured North America for twenty-five weeks. While the show enjoyed a limited Broadway run only, Cox received positive reviews for her performance.[22] Also in 2012, she collaborated with rapper Akon on the song "No Labels", the official anthem of the same-titled American bipartisan political organization.[23] The following year, Cox collaborated with DJ Paige on the non-album single "Higher". Released through Electronic Kingdom Records, it became her twelfth number-one hit on the US Dance Club Songs chart.[21] In 2014, Cox was