Amber Riley

Amber Patrice Riley (born February 15, 1986, Los Angeles, California) is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Mercedes Jones in the hit Fox TV show “Glee”.

As a member of the Glee Cast since 2009, Riley has sung numerous solos, including “Bust Your Windows”, “Hate On Me”, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, “Beautiful”, “I Look To You”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and an original song “Hell to the No.”

At the age of seventeen, Riley auditioned for American Idol but was turned down by the producers. Amber graduated from La Mirada High School, La Mirada, California in 2004. In 2007, Riley auditioned for the part of Effie in Dreamgirls, yet was refused solely because of her age.

She had the honor of singing to President Obama, which she said was perhaps “the minute life was made complete”.