Tamia was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. As a child, she took acting and singing lessons, eventually performing in a number of local choirs and theatrical presentations. She soon earned a reputation and several awards, including the YTV Vocal Achievement Award in 1993. The following year, she won the Steve Ross Music Scholarship at the American Academy of Achievement's Annual Salute to Excel

lence in 1994. 

That same year, she attended a fateful party thrown by her manager Brenda Richie for Luther Vandross. There she met producer Quincy Jones, who became taken with Tamia's talent during a one-song performance. Soon Jones had Tamia in the studio, recording "You Put a Move on My Heart" for Jones' new album, Q's Jook Joint. The song became a Top Ten R&B hit and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Another song on the album, a duet with Babyface entitled "Slow Jams," was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. She also sang "Missing You" with Brandy, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan on the soundtrack for the 1995 film “Set It Off.” With a Grammy nod for "Missing You,” this made for three nominations for Tamia, who hadn’t even released an album yet.