# Eric Benét

Eric Benét Jordan (born October 15, 1966) is an American R&B singer-songwriter and musician. He has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.

## Early life and education

Benét was born on October 15, 1966, in Mobile, Alabama. He was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the youngest of five siblings. Benét expressed an interest in music at an early age, but was initially encouraged by his father, a police officer who died of cancer, to attend college and pursue a "stable" career. He graduated from Milwaukee Trade and Technical High School and enrolled in college, but later dropped out.

## Career

Benét began his career as a member of a group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Later, Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992 which sold over 100,000 copies. In 1994, he signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his solo debut album, True to Myself in 1996. Individual songs from the album were successful, including the top-ten R&B hits "Spiritual Thang", "Femininity" and "Let's Stay Together", which originally appeared on the soundtrack of the film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. His second album, A Day in the Life, was released in 1999 and featured his smash hit "Spend My Life With You (featuring Tamia)". The song rose to No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B charts (for 3 weeks), was certified gold, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group". The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for "Best R&B/Soul Album, Male".
In between albums, Benét collaborated with his then-labelmates Somethin' for the People on their 1997 album This Time It's Personal singing leads on the single "Act Like You Want It". In 2001, he recorded a song for Earth, Wind, and Fire's 30th anniversary CD, and began work on a new album titled Better and Better, which was set to be a departure from his previous work. Benét's label, however, refused to release this album, forcing him to stay in the R&B genre. Due to disagreements regarding music style and creative freedom, Benét left Warner Bros. and signed to Reprise-distributed label Friday Records and recorded his next album, Hurricane, which became his third studio album following its release on June 21, 2005, in the US. "I Wanna Be Loved" was the song that received the most airplay. The single reached number two on the Urban Adult Contemporary chart.
His fourth album Love & Life was released on September 9, 2008. It debuted at number eleven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making this his own highest peak position since A Day in the Life in 1999. The first single "You're the Only One" is also his first top 20 hit on the R&B chart in two years. Lost in Time was Benét's fifth studio album which was released in the US on November 30, 2010. The first single "Sometimes I Cry" reached number one on the Hot Adult R&B Songs Chart. With its musical direction representing Benét's homage to the sweet soul sound of the early to mid-1970s, the album featured duets with Faith Evans; Chrisette Michelle; Ledisi; and Eddie Levert of The O'Jays.
On June 5, 2012, Benét released his album The One. It was the first album released on Benét's newly formed record label Jordan House Records, which he created in partnership with EMI. "Real Love" was the first single off The One and was the No. 1 added song to Urban AC when shipped to radio in October 2011. In 2013, Eric Benét's sixth studio album, The One, won him the SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for Best Male Vocalist. The One delivered 3 big hit tracks including 'Runnin,' 'Real Love,' and 'Harriett Jones.' In April 2014, Benét signed R&B singer-songwriter Calvin Richardson and Goapele to his imprint along with BMG/Primary Wave Music to release their upcoming albums in the US.
In 2014, Benét also released an international album, The Other One, teaming up with the European production collective, The Afropeans to revisit his 2012 album The One. Later that year, he released an album of classic cover songs, exclusively distributed in Japan, titled, From E to U, Vol. 1. In April 2016, he announced a new single "Sunshine" set to premiere on May 13, ahead of his album that was due in the fall. On October 7, 2016, Benét released his eponymous eighth studio album and first major album release since 2012's "The One", the album featured guest appearances from Tamia, Arturo Sandoval and MC Lyte. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic Benet started an on demand powdered by Omnis titled Eric After Dark (stylized as Eric @fter Dark).

### Acting

Benét has also been active as an actor. He had a recurring role on For Your Love (1998–2002). In 2001, he made his big-screen debut—alongside that of singer Mariah Carey—in Glitter; the film (which has elements of romance, drama, and comedy) was loosely based on Carey’s own life and early experiences within the music industry. Additionally, in 2005, he appeared on Half & Half, in which he portrayed Reece Wilcox, and had a recurring role on the 2007 MTV show Kaya. On July 9, 2011, Benét’s second feature film role, Trinity Goodheart, premiered at the American Black Film Festival. It aired on GMC on August 20. In 2013, Benét appeared on the second season of BET's hit television show, the Real Husbands of Hollywood. He was a guest star, alongside Kevin Hart, Bobby Brown, and Boris Kodjoe. In 2022, he appeared in Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story.

## Personal life

Benét's eldest daughter India Brianne Jordan was born on December 3, 1991, to his partner Tami Stauff, who died in a car accident on April 24, 1993. He married actress Halle Berry in January 2001, but by early October 2003, they had separated, with the divorce finalized in January 2005.
On July 31, 2011, Benét married Toronto native Manuela Testolini, ex-wife of Prince. Their first child together, a girl named Lucia Bella, was born on December 21, 2011. Their second daughter, Amoura Luna, was born on July 13, 2014.

## Discography
### Albums

* True to Myself (1996)
* A Day in the Life (1999)
* Hurricane (2005)
* Love & Life (2008)
* Lost in Time (2010)
* The One (2012)
* From E to U: Volume 1 (2014)
* Eric Benét (2016)

## Awards and nominations

* Black Reel Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2002 | "Love Don't Love Me" (from The Brothers) | Best Original or Adapted Song | Won |
| 2012 | Trinity Goodheart | Best Actor: T.V. Movie/Cable | Nominated |
* Grammy Award
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2000 | "Spend My Life with You" (with Tamia) | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated |
| 2009 | "You're the Only One" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 2009 | Love & Life | Best R&B Album | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Sometimes I Cry" | Best Traditional R&B Performance | Nominated |
* NAACP Image Award
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1997 | Eric Benét | Outstanding New Artist | Nominated |
| 2000 | Eric Benét | Outstanding Male Artist | Nominated |
| 2000 | "Spend My Life with You" (with Tamia) | Outstanding Song | Won |
| 2000 | A Day in the Life | Outstanding Album | Nominated |
| 2001 | Eric Benét | Outstanding Male Artist | Nominated |
| 2001 | "When You Think of Me" (Directed by Prentice Smith) | Outstanding Music Video | Nominated |