Tori Alamaze

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Tori Alamaze is an American singer best known as a backing vocalist for the hip hop duo OutKast.

Hailing from Detroit, Alamaze worked as a make-up artist for about 10 years, including work for musicians Faith Evans, Erykah Badu, TLC, Xscape, Monica, Outkast, and Busta Rhymes. She got her break when somebody offered her a recording contract. She worked on her debut album, and appeared in opening acts for the Black Eyed Peas.

Her first single, "Don't Cha" (2004), was written and produced by Cee-Lo Green. It wasn't very successful nationally, only peaking at #53 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. It became a larger regional hit in the Northeastern U.S., especially in NY, NJ AND CT. Alamaze complained that the label never shot a music video for her single, nor did she receive any real marketing. According to rumours in the industry, ^{[attribution needed]} Alamaze’s version of "Don’t Cha" was intended as the 'next big thing' for the label, but Universal Records decided the single wasn’t working. Proving how treacherous the music industry can be, the label dropped Alamaze, and the track was re-recorded by The Pussycat Dolls including a rap from Busta Rhymes. The new version climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Club mix version peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.