3rd Party
Encyclopedia
3rd Party was a three-member dance-pop
group that released one album in 1997. They are best known for their dance hit "Can U Feel It", and for the song "Waiting for Tonight
", which was remade by Jennifer Lopez
.
duo Sequal
. She has written songs for Nana Mouskouri
, Eternal
, 'N Sync
and Celine Dion
. Backup singers Karmine Alers and Elaine Borja filled out the racially diverse group. The group formed in the wake of the mid-90s dance-pop
movement, following such acts as the Spice Girls
. The group released its album Alive
in 1997. The album was recorded on Long Island
, New York
, and produced by Rick Wake. Four of the album's songs were written by Christensen, and two singles were released from it. "Can U Feel It" (#43
) was their highest-charting song. "Love is Alive" (#61
) was a remake of the song by Gary Wright
from his album The Dreamweaver. The album also contained the song "Waiting for Tonight
", which was covered by Jennifer Lopez
in 1999 for her debut album, On the 6
. The remake charted at #8.
. She sang the song "Someone to Someone" on the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". Song-writing proceeds from Lopez's remake of "Waiting for Tonight" allowed her the freedom to release her own album.
, and has been acting and performing since she was a teenager. During college, she was a member of several bands. After leaving 3rd Party, she auditioned for the musical Rent
in 2001. Like her older sister, Yassmin Alers
, she took the role of Mimi. She released the solo album For You... in 2005, which was produced by Jimmy Greco. Like Beautiful Now, it is also soulful and melodic, and showed no trace of Alers's 3rd Party past. A single, "It Matters to Me", was released with a music video.
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
group that released one album in 1997. They are best known for their dance hit "Can U Feel It", and for the song "Waiting for Tonight
Waiting for Tonight
"Waiting for Tonight" is a song originally recorded by American female pop trio 3rd Party for their 1997 album Alive. American recording artist Jennifer Lopez recorded a version for her debut album, On the 6 , and the song became the second single from the album and also the most famous version of...
", which was remade by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
.
Background
Lead singer Maria Christensen was a songwriter before the band, singing since the age of 5 and writing songs since she was 10 years old. She made her performing debut in 1985 as one half of the Latin freestyleFreestyle music
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s...
duo Sequal
Sequal (band)
Sequal was a Latin Freestyle female duo from Miami, composed of Angie Vollaro and Maria Christensen. The duo was founded in 1984 by producer Lewis A. Martineé, who was also responsible for the group Exposé. The group's first releases in 1985–86 were on independent label Joey Boy Records and became...
. She has written songs for Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
, Eternal
Eternal (band)
Eternal were an English R&B girl group formed in 1992. The group featured two sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, alongside Kelle Bryan and Louise Nurding...
, 'N Sync
'N Sync
N Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
and Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
. Backup singers Karmine Alers and Elaine Borja filled out the racially diverse group. The group formed in the wake of the mid-90s dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
movement, following such acts as the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
. The group released its album Alive
Alive (3rd Party album)
Alive is the debut album by American pop girlgroup 3rd Party.-Tracklisting:#"Can U Feel It" – 4:11#"Love Is Alive" – 3:50#"Round & Round" – 4:11...
in 1997. The album was recorded on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and produced by Rick Wake. Four of the album's songs were written by Christensen, and two singles were released from it. "Can U Feel It" (#43
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) was their highest-charting song. "Love is Alive" (#61
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) was a remake of the song by Gary Wright
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
from his album The Dreamweaver. The album also contained the song "Waiting for Tonight
Waiting for Tonight
"Waiting for Tonight" is a song originally recorded by American female pop trio 3rd Party for their 1997 album Alive. American recording artist Jennifer Lopez recorded a version for her debut album, On the 6 , and the song became the second single from the album and also the most famous version of...
", which was covered by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
in 1999 for her debut album, On the 6
On the 6
On the 6 is the debut studio album by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez, released on June 1, 1999 by Work Records. It debuted at number eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 the week of June 19, 1999, with first-week sales of 112,000 copies, remaining in the top 20 for 11 weeks and on the chart...
. The remake charted at #8.
Maria Christensen
Maria Christensen independently released a solo album, Beautiful Now, in 2004. In contrast to 3rd Party's uptempo dance music, Christensen's solo music is more soulful and pensive, in the style of Norah JonesNorah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
. She sang the song "Someone to Someone" on the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". Song-writing proceeds from Lopez's remake of "Waiting for Tonight" allowed her the freedom to release her own album.
Karmine Alers
Karmine Alers was raised in the Spanish HarlemSpanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
, and has been acting and performing since she was a teenager. During college, she was a member of several bands. After leaving 3rd Party, she auditioned for the musical Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
in 2001. Like her older sister, Yassmin Alers
Yassmin Alers
Yassmin Alers is an American actress.Alers was born in Spanish Harlem as the middle child of a close-knit family of five children. She was a swing/understudy in the original broadway cast of Jonathan Larson's Rent on Broadway, and played Mimi in the Benny tour company of the show...
, she took the role of Mimi. She released the solo album For You... in 2005, which was produced by Jimmy Greco. Like Beautiful Now, it is also soulful and melodic, and showed no trace of Alers's 3rd Party past. A single, "It Matters to Me", was released with a music video.