Joy Charity Enriquez (born June 6, 1978) is an American singer and actress who has appeared on the television series 7th Heaven and also starred in films such as Chasing Papi and Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (voice). Enriquez was also a background singer to the single "When You Believe", a duet by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Biography

Enriquez was born in Whittier, California. At age eleven she participated in the US TV show Star Search and won eleven performances. After Star Search, her mother began sending out videotapes of her performances, hoping to land a record deal. Enriquez got a solo deal with LaFace Records and released her debut album Joy Enriquez, in 2000. The album and its first single, "Tell Me How You Feel," had some success internationally, providing the opportunity for Enriquez to make promotional visits to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Singapore, and Korea. In the US, Enriquez's album was released one week after the 9/11 attacks. Her older sister, Tiffany Enriquez, who is still her manager as well as Epic Records recording artist Tiffany Dunn, has given voice lessons to American Idol finalist Allison Iraheta.

On April 4, 2004, Enriquez married record producer Rodney Jerkins, who had worked on her debut album. Their first child, Rodney David Jerkins, Jr., was born on May 28, 2008. Their second child, daughter Heavenly Joy Jerkins, was born on November 17, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Their third child, Hannah Joy, arrived on October 19, 2012, followed by their fourth, Royal David Jerkins, in early 2015.

After almost completing a follow-up album in the same Pop/R&B vein as her debut, which would have featured the leaked track "It's So Funny," a collaboration with Mase, Joy had a change of heart about the musical direction she wished to pursue. She decided that her next release should be an inspirational/Contemporary Christian record. The ensuing album, Atmosphere of Heaven, was released on March 7, 2006 on the independent label JoyfulChild, which was formed by Jerkins and Enriquez.

In 2010, she wrote the track "Boom Chika Boom" for the Our Family Wedding soundtrack, and performed/wrote the song "Beatz Be Rockin'" for the Nickelodeon iCarly series.

She contributed songs to the Lifetime series Dance Moms in 2012 with the track "Light My Fire" getting a separate digital single release.

In 2013, her reality series "House of Joy" premiered on the NUVOtv network on July 18, 2013. After each episode, a new digital single would be released on digital services. These songs (8 plus the theme song) were released on an EP House of Joy on September 10, 2013.

Enriquez's daughter, Heavenly Joy, is a currently a contestant on NBC'S America's Got Talent.