Born in 1968, into the 'white ghetto' Knowle West area of Bristol, to an Anglo-Guyanese mother and Jamaican father, Adrian Thaws had what one might term a troubled start to life. Certain shocking events, particularly his mother's suicide, made a deep imprint on the boy who would grow up to become the artist and performer known as Tricky. Over the course of his career as a solo artist, he has released 13 studio albums, selling over 2 million copies worldwide. His debut album Maxinquaye (1995) was nominated for the Mercury Prize and sold over a million copies worldwide. He is admired internationally by some of the biggest names in music, including the late David Bowie. He currently lives and records in Berlin.