Best known for her role as the feisty cheerleader Santana Lopez on the Fox television series Glee, actress/singer Naya Rivera also pursued a solo singing career. Born and raised in California, Rivera came from an accomplished family: her mother Yolanda and sister Nickayla were both models, while her brother Mychal was an NFL tight end. Her mother's talent agent began representing her while she was still a baby, and during the '90s and early 2000s she scored roles on shows including Baywatch, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Family Matters. As she neared her twenties, she appeared on 8 Simple Rules and CSI Miami, while also taking on theater work and odd jobs. Rivera's lucky break came in 2009, when she was cast as Santana on Glee; she became a series regular in the show's second season. In 2011, she signed a deal with Columbia Records to make a solo album; her first single, "Sorry," a collaboration with Big Sean, arrived in September 2013.

Heather Phares
AllMusic.com