En Vogue
Encyclopedia
En Vogue is an American
female R&B
vocal group from Oakland, California
assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.
The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards
than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music Awards, and seven Grammy nominations. According to Billboard Magazine they were the 18th most successful act of the 1990s, and one of the most popular and successful female groups of all time. En Vogue have accumulated over 2,800 weeks on various Billboard charts.
in July 1989, En Vogue launched with original members Cindy Herron
, Maxine Jones
, Dawn Robinson
and Terry Ellis
. The inspiration for the group came when production duo of Foster and Mc Elroy envisioned a modern-day girl group in the tradition of the 1950s/1960s female trios. The blueprint was based on the plan of recruiting singers who possessed strong voices, noticeably good looks, and intelligence. Auditions were held in 1988, with Herron, Jones and Robinson making the final cut. Like previous girl groups, En Vogue was originally conceived as a trio, but after hearing Ellis audition, Foster and McElroy decided to create a quartet. At first, they selected the name "For You." They shifted to "Vogue", but ultimately settled on En Vogue, upon learning that another group had already claimed the Vogue moniker.
Born to Sing
was released on April 3, 1990. The album charted at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200
and number three on Billboard's R&B Albums Chart. The first single, "Hold On
," was released to radio in late February 1990 and became a crossover pop hit, reaching number two on Billboard's Hot 100
singles charts, and number one on both the R&B singles and Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts. It later went to #5 in the UK, and became a hit in Europe
. The next two singles, "Lies
" and "You Don't Have to Worry," each went to number one on the Billboard R&B charts, while the fourth and final single, "Don't Go," charted at number three on the Billboard R&B. The album was later certified platinum by the RIAA.
"Hold On" was awarded a Billboard Music Award
for "R&B Single of the Year," a Soul Train
Award for "R&B/Urban Contemporary Single of the Year, Group, Band or Duo" and have been nominated for a Grammy Award
for "Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
". In 1990, En Vogue signed an endorsement deal to appear in a Diet Coke
commercial directed by Spike Lee
.
, was released in the spring of 1992
. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard R&B and ultimately doubled the take of its predecessor, going multi-platinum. The albums first two singles: "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
" and "Giving Him Something He Can Feel
" both went top ten pop, and peaked at number one on the R&B charts. The next single, "Free Your Mind" also went top ten. The final two singles "Give It Up Turn It Loose" and "Love Don't Love You
" both were top forty hits.
The album went on to sell more than three million copies, won an American Music Award for "Favorite Soul/R&B Album," and was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The music video for "Free Your Mind" earned the group three MTV Video Music Awards
for "Best Choreography," "Best Dance Video," and "Best R&B Video." They were also honored with Soul Train's prestigious "Entertainer of the Year Award." In addition to this, the group were featured in Rolling Stone
, Entertainment Weekly
, and Essence among other major publications.
Riding high on the success of Funky Divas, a six-song EP entitled Runaway Love
was released in the fall of 1993
, spawning the hit "Runaway Love
."
The group was signed to an endorsement deal with Converse, and were featured as an opening act on Luther Vandross
' 1993 tour. Among the numerous countries toured were England, Germany, the Netherlands and France which confirmed the group's live vocal and performing prowess. However, according to an article in Vibe magazine, Vandross (by his own admission in interviews) and his entourage clashed with the members of En Vogue during the tour and he vowed never to work with them again afterwards.
En Vogue also made numerous television appearances on such series as In Living Color
, A Different World, Roc
and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper
(the latter two of which they also sang the show's theme songs.)
In 1993, En Vogue were featured vocalists on Salt-N-Pepa
's top ten hit "Whatta Man
", from Salt-N-Pepa's Very Necessary
album. The track also appeared (slightly edited) on En Vogue's Runaway Love
EP.
. Also in 1995, group member Terry Ellis recorded a solo album entitled Southern Gal, which spun off the top ten R&B single "Where Ever You Are."
to record "Don't Let Go (Love)
" for the soundtrack to the motion picture Set It Off
. Released in the autumn, it became the group's biggest hit to date; the single peaked at number two on the Hot 100, number one on the R&B singles chart, and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It, inadvertently, would also be the final En Vogue single to feature group member Dawn Robinson. One of Robinson's final performances with her bandmates came in October of that year, when the group sang the final National Anthem rendition in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
in Atlanta, which came in game five of the 1996 World Series
.
In response to the large commercial success of "Don't Let Go (Love)", the group steadfastly went to work on its third album. As the album was nearing completion, Robinson chose to leave the group in April 1997
after difficult contractual negotiations reached a stalemate. Despite Robinson's abrupt departure, En Vogue resolved to continue on as a trio (forcing the group to re-record some of the tracks on their forthcoming album that had originally featured her on lead vocals).
EV3
, the group's third album, was released in the spring and debuted at number eight on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard R&B charts. The first single, the Babyface-penned and produced "Whatever
" went on to become a top-20 pop hit, a top ten R&B hit, while also peaking at number five on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. On August 26, 1997, the single was certified gold by the RIAA. The followup single "Too Gone, Too Long" (which was produced by David Foster
and written by Diane Warren
) performed more modestly, managing to only peak in the top forty. Despite its being certified platinum, and the album being nominated for Grammy Award and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award, sales of EV3 failed to live up to full commercial expectation. A world tour had been planned, but was canceled due to poor ticket sales.
In 1998
, En Vogue recorded "No Fool No More
" for the soundtrack to the motion picture, Why Do Fools Fall In Love
as well as a version of I Want A Monster to Be My Friend for the Elmopalooza
special on ABC. The following year, a greatest hits compilation, The Best of En Vogue, was released.
," peaked at number ninety-two and ninety-five on the Hot 100 and R&B charts. As a result of poor sales, En Vogue was dropped from the Elektra Record label.
. Meanwhile, Robinson's first solo CD Dawn was released in early 2002. During the latter part of 2003, En Vogue toured Europe with Maxine Jones rejoining the group to fill the place of Cindy Herron, who was on maternity leave.
on independent label 33rd Street Records
. While the album failed to chart on the Billboard 200, it managed to peak at number forty-seven on the R&B charts. The albums two singles: "Losin' My Mind" and "Ooh Boy
", however, failed to chart. Soon after promotion had finished on this album, Maxine Jones returned to En Vogue, turning the group back into a quartet for the first time since 1996. The group teamed with Boyz II Men for select concert dates during the summer of 2004. That same year En Vogue graced the cover of R&B Showcase magazine.
", which featured Stevie Wonder
and Prince
. The group also appeared in the single's music video. After failing to agree on business terms, Robinson once again chose to defect from En Vogue and Bennett returned. As a result, En Vogue was let go from The Firm. En Vogue continued to perform spot dates in North America with Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron and Rhona Bennett. This line-up also saw the group return to Europe and Japan
for select concert dates. During this time, En Vogue teamed up with Belgian singer Natalia for a song called "Glamorous" where Rhona Bennett's vocals are featured. The single reached No.2 in the Belgian charts and was followed by a DVD release of the concert, which went double platinum.
, performing with Alicia Keys
, SWV
and TLC
as a tribute to girl groups of the 1990s. With speculation abuzz, En Vogue received the twenty-eighth highest number of hits on the Rock on the Net website for the month of June 2008. The following month, the group ascended to the twelfth position. As of June 30, Dawn Robinson has stated officially via an En Vogue Yahoo! fan site that she had indeed returned to En Vogue. On August 6, the original members appeared on Los Angeles' KTLA television station and announced that they have reunited and would do spot dates around the country during the latter part of 2008. The foursome kicked off the Americana at Brand Concert Series in Glendale, California that same evening. Furthermore, En Vogue performed at the 2009 Essence Music Festival
, at the Louisiana Superdome
in New Orleans. They continue to tour throughout the United States. In October 2010, the band performed their first UK show in 18 years in London.
On September 26, 2011, a new single called "I´ll Cry Later" was leaked to select urban adult contemporary radio stations, but has yet to be officially released.
specials including Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration and in a "Wanda" Sketch with Jamie Foxx
in "In Living Color" in 1993 and Elmopalooza
in 1998. In Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration the four original members sang "Adventure" about their adventures with some of the Sesame Street characters. The second song was "I Want a Monster"; a song about having a monster as a playmate. It appeared on Elmopalooza and was recorded after Robinson's departure- featuring Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones and Cindy Herron. In Batman Forever
they appeared in a cameo appearance as a group of prostitutes who want to seduce Batman, but are disappointed when it is Robin who shows up instead; Robinson also appeared as a holographic prostitute demonstrating how to assemble an appropriate outfit in the film Tank Girl
. En Vogue has also appeared in A Different World as a group of country bumpkin sisters who want to sing. The group also appeared on more than one episode of the highly acclaimed Charles S. Dutton Fox 90's television show Roc
, with one of the ladies playing a love interest of Rocky Carrol's character Joey who has to choose between staying with Joey or touring with the rest of the En Vogue ladies. En Vogue recorded a brand new theme song, entitled "Live Your Life Today" for Roc's later season's. They also recorded the theme song for Season 1 of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
, along with Dawnn Lewis
and Holly Robinson-Peete. On May 11, 2009 the group appeared on ABC's The View to perform & announce their future reunion tour. On June 7, 2009 the group appeared on A&E Network's Private Sessions
, performing select hits and discussing the group's past, present and future.
EPs
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
female R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
vocal group from Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.
The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music Awards, and seven Grammy nominations. According to Billboard Magazine they were the 18th most successful act of the 1990s, and one of the most popular and successful female groups of all time. En Vogue have accumulated over 2,800 weeks on various Billboard charts.
Biography
Assembled in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
in July 1989, En Vogue launched with original members Cindy Herron
Cindy Herron
Cindy Herron-Braggs , is an American singer and actress, who is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop quartet En Vogue.-Early life:...
, Maxine Jones
Maxine Jones
Maxine Jones is one of the original members of the R&B singing group En Vogue. She originally left the group in 2001 to spend time with her daughter. Jones rejoined En Vogue on a permanent basis in the third quarter of 2004...
, Dawn Robinson
Dawn Robinson
Dawn Robinson is an American R&B/soul/Dance-pop singer best known for her work as a member of hit Urban/Dance-pop group, En Vogue....
and Terry Ellis
Terry Ellis
Terry Lynn Ellis is an African-American R&B singer best known for her work with the quartet En Vogue.-Biography:...
. The inspiration for the group came when production duo of Foster and Mc Elroy envisioned a modern-day girl group in the tradition of the 1950s/1960s female trios. The blueprint was based on the plan of recruiting singers who possessed strong voices, noticeably good looks, and intelligence. Auditions were held in 1988, with Herron, Jones and Robinson making the final cut. Like previous girl groups, En Vogue was originally conceived as a trio, but after hearing Ellis audition, Foster and McElroy decided to create a quartet. At first, they selected the name "For You." They shifted to "Vogue", but ultimately settled on En Vogue, upon learning that another group had already claimed the Vogue moniker.
1989–1991: Born to Sing
After forming, the group began working with their producers on their debut album. Recording began in August 1989 and wrapped up in December of the same year.Born to Sing
Born to Sing
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy*art direction – Bob Defrin...
was released on April 3, 1990. The album charted at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number three on Billboard's R&B Albums Chart. The first single, "Hold On
Hold On (En Vogue song)
"Hold On" was the debut single from En Vogue's debut album, Born to Sing. It reached number one on the Hot Black Singles chart. The single became one of 1990s' biggest hits in the US and also a major hit in the UK . It also reached #1 on the U.S. Dance chart...
," was released to radio in late February 1990 and became a crossover pop hit, reaching number two on Billboard's Hot 100
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...
singles charts, and number one on both the R&B singles and Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts. It later went to #5 in the UK, and became a hit in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The next two singles, "Lies
Lies (En Vogue song)
"Lies" is the second single from Born to Sing, the debut album from R&B/pop quartet En Vogue. Written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, it became the group's second single to top the Billboard R&B singles chart...
" and "You Don't Have to Worry," each went to number one on the Billboard R&B charts, while the fourth and final single, "Don't Go," charted at number three on the Billboard R&B. The album was later certified platinum by the RIAA.
"Hold On" was awarded a Billboard Music Award
Billboard Music Award
The Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
for "R&B Single of the Year," a Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
Award for "R&B/Urban Contemporary Single of the Year, Group, Band or Duo" and have been nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
". In 1990, En Vogue signed an endorsement deal to appear in a Diet Coke
Diet Coke
Diet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark...
commercial directed by Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
.
1992–1993: Funky Divas & Runaway Love
En Vogue's second album, Funky DivasFunky Divas
Funky Divas is the second album by the U.S. female vocal group En Vogue. Released in 1992, it became their highest selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of the year, shifting over 5 million copies worldwide.-Background:...
, was released in the spring of 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard R&B and ultimately doubled the take of its predecessor, going multi-platinum. The albums first two singles: "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
"My Lovin' " is the first single from musical group En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. The song features Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson on lead vocals...
" and "Giving Him Something He Can Feel
Giving Him Something He Can Feel
"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the soundtrack to the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Supremes/Motown-esque style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976...
" both went top ten pop, and peaked at number one on the R&B charts. The next single, "Free Your Mind" also went top ten. The final two singles "Give It Up Turn It Loose" and "Love Don't Love You
Love Don't Love You
"Love Don't Love You" was the final single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It was the bands 5th consecutive top 40 single in the US from that album. This song is led by Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.-Charts:...
" both were top forty hits.
The album went on to sell more than three million copies, won an American Music Award for "Favorite Soul/R&B Album," and was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The music video for "Free Your Mind" earned the group three MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for "Best Choreography," "Best Dance Video," and "Best R&B Video." They were also honored with Soul Train's prestigious "Entertainer of the Year Award." In addition to this, the group were featured in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, and Essence among other major publications.
Riding high on the success of Funky Divas, a six-song EP entitled Runaway Love
Runaway Love (EP)
Runaway Love is a 1993 EP by En Vogue's, and followed their breakthrough Funky Divas album from the year before. The EP contained the title track, as well as En Vogue's hit collaboration with Salt-N-Pepa, Whatta Man....
was released in the fall of 1993
1993 in music
This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
, spawning the hit "Runaway Love
Runaway Love (En Vogue song)
"Runaway Love" was the first single from En Vogue's EP, Runaway Love. After the huge success of Funky Divas, the single was released. The single was released to radio in late August 1993 and was immediately added to airplay rotation, debuting on the airplay chart at #31 the week of September 4, 1993...
."
The group was signed to an endorsement deal with Converse, and were featured as an opening act on Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
' 1993 tour. Among the numerous countries toured were England, Germany, the Netherlands and France which confirmed the group's live vocal and performing prowess. However, according to an article in Vibe magazine, Vandross (by his own admission in interviews) and his entourage clashed with the members of En Vogue during the tour and he vowed never to work with them again afterwards.
En Vogue also made numerous television appearances on such series as In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
, A Different World, Roc
Roc (TV series)
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.-Early episodes:...
and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
(the latter two of which they also sang the show's theme songs.)
In 1993, En Vogue were featured vocalists on Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
's top ten hit "Whatta Man
Whatta Man
"Whatta Man" is a 1994 single by Salt-n-Pepa and En Vogue from Salt-N-Pepa's 1993 album Very Necessary. It was issued by Next Plateau/London Records and produced by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor. It also appears on En Vogue's Runaway Love EP...
", from Salt-N-Pepa's Very Necessary
Very Necessary
Very Necessary is the title of the fourth studio album by rap/hip-hop group Salt-n-Pepa Released in 1993, the album went on to become the most successful rap album by a female act. It was produced by Cheryl James , Sandy Denton , Dee Dee "Diedra" Roper , and Hurby Azor...
album. The track also appeared (slightly edited) on En Vogue's Runaway Love
Runaway Love (EP)
Runaway Love is a 1993 EP by En Vogue's, and followed their breakthrough Funky Divas album from the year before. The EP contained the title track, as well as En Vogue's hit collaboration with Salt-N-Pepa, Whatta Man....
EP.
1994–1996: Downtime
In 1995, En Vogue were amongst numerous female vocalists featured on the song "Freedom" for the soundtrack to PantherPanther (film)
Panther is a 1995 film directed by Mario Van Peebles, from a screenplay adapted by his father, Melvin Van Peebles, based on his book. The film dramatizes the story of The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense...
. Also in 1995, group member Terry Ellis recorded a solo album entitled Southern Gal, which spun off the top ten R&B single "Where Ever You Are."
1996–1998: The departure of Dawn Robinson and EV3
En Vogue reunited in 19961996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
to record "Don't Let Go (Love)
Don't Let Go (Love)
"Don't Let Go " is a 1996 Grammy-nominated single by En Vogue from the Set It Off soundtrack, also appearing on the group's third album, EV3. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments of over 1,000,000 units. The song was the last single by En Vogue to feature former band member Dawn...
" for the soundtrack to the motion picture Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off is a 1996 action and crime film directed by F. Gary Gray, and stars Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox and Kimberly Elise , as four close friends in Los Angeles, California who decide to plan and execute a bank robbery...
. Released in the autumn, it became the group's biggest hit to date; the single peaked at number two on the Hot 100, number one on the R&B singles chart, and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It, inadvertently, would also be the final En Vogue single to feature group member Dawn Robinson. One of Robinson's final performances with her bandmates came in October of that year, when the group sang the final National Anthem rendition in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
in Atlanta, which came in game five of the 1996 World Series
1996 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
.
In response to the large commercial success of "Don't Let Go (Love)", the group steadfastly went to work on its third album. As the album was nearing completion, Robinson chose to leave the group in April 1997
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
after difficult contractual negotiations reached a stalemate. Despite Robinson's abrupt departure, En Vogue resolved to continue on as a trio (forcing the group to re-record some of the tracks on their forthcoming album that had originally featured her on lead vocals).
EV3
EV3
EV3 is the third studio album by En Vogue. Originally called "Friendship" It was their first project that wasn't fully produced by Thomas McElroy & Denzil Foster, the then quartet called on hitmakers Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, and Ivan Matias among others to provide the group with a new...
, the group's third album, was released in the spring and debuted at number eight on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard R&B charts. The first single, the Babyface-penned and produced "Whatever
Whatever (En Vogue song)
"Whatever" is the second single from musical group En Vogue's third studio album, EV3. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. It reached #16 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart....
" went on to become a top-20 pop hit, a top ten R&B hit, while also peaking at number five on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. On August 26, 1997, the single was certified gold by the RIAA. The followup single "Too Gone, Too Long" (which was produced by David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
and written by Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
) performed more modestly, managing to only peak in the top forty. Despite its being certified platinum, and the album being nominated for Grammy Award and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award, sales of EV3 failed to live up to full commercial expectation. A world tour had been planned, but was canceled due to poor ticket sales.
In 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
, En Vogue recorded "No Fool No More
No Fool No More
"No Fool No More" is a song by En Vogue, released as the first single from ther soundtrack for Why Do Fools Fall in Love. The song was a minor pop and R&B hit in the US and UK. In 1998 the award-winning group appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show to perform the single....
" for the soundtrack to the motion picture, Why Do Fools Fall In Love
Why Do Fools Fall in Love (film)
Why Do Fools Fall in Love is an American romantic drama, directed by Gregory Nava and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is a biographical film of the brief but intense life of R&B/Rock & Roll singer Frankie Lymon, lead singer of the pioneering rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & the...
as well as a version of I Want A Monster to Be My Friend for the Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza is a Sesame Street special that aired on ABC on February 20, 1998.-About the show:The show is a musical, featuring performances from guests Jon Stewart, David Alan Grier, Rosie O' Donnell, Gloria Estefan, En Vogue, The Fugees, Kenny Loggins, Shawn Colvin, Jimmy Buffett, and The Mighty...
special on ABC. The following year, a greatest hits compilation, The Best of En Vogue, was released.
2000: Masterpiece Theatre
Masterpiece Theatre, the group's fourth studio album, was released in May 2000. The album debuted at number sixty-seven and thirty-three on the Billboard 200 and R&B Albums Charts respectively. The first (and only) single, "RiddleRiddle (En Vogue song)
"Riddle" is a song by En Vogue. It was released as the lead single from the group's fourth studio album Masterpiece Theater. "Riddle" was the first and last single from the album. The song became a Top 40 hit in a few countries, it gained more success in Belgium where it became a Top 20 hit...
," peaked at number ninety-two and ninety-five on the Hot 100 and R&B charts. As a result of poor sales, En Vogue was dropped from the Elektra Record label.
2001–2003: New member
In 2001, original member Maxine Jones left the group to focus on her family. As a result, Amanda Cole joined the group. Ellis, Herron and Cole released a holiday album, The Gift of Christmas. Soon after the holiday album, Cole too left the group and was replaced with Rhona BennettRhona Bennett
Rhona Bennett is an American singer, actress and model, best known for her recurring role as Nicole on The Jamie Foxx Show. She joined American R&B super-group En Vogue in 2003 until August 2008, after which she embarked on solo singing career...
. Meanwhile, Robinson's first solo CD Dawn was released in early 2002. During the latter part of 2003, En Vogue toured Europe with Maxine Jones rejoining the group to fill the place of Cindy Herron, who was on maternity leave.
2004: Soul Flower
In 2004, En Vogue (now composed of Ellis, Herron and Bennett) released Soul FlowerSoul Flower
Soul Flower was En Vogue's sixth album which was released in 2004. Recorded with the independent label 33rd Street, it went on to sell 35,000 copies and failed to chart on the Billboard 200. It reached #47 on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart...
on independent label 33rd Street Records
33rd Street Records
33rd Street Records is an independent record label based in Greenbrae, California. The company finalizes the production of albums by mastering the audio and designing the album cover...
. While the album failed to chart on the Billboard 200, it managed to peak at number forty-seven on the R&B charts. The albums two singles: "Losin' My Mind" and "Ooh Boy
Soul Flower
Soul Flower was En Vogue's sixth album which was released in 2004. Recorded with the independent label 33rd Street, it went on to sell 35,000 copies and failed to chart on the Billboard 200. It reached #47 on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart...
", however, failed to chart. Soon after promotion had finished on this album, Maxine Jones returned to En Vogue, turning the group back into a quartet for the first time since 1996. The group teamed with Boyz II Men for select concert dates during the summer of 2004. That same year En Vogue graced the cover of R&B Showcase magazine.
2005–2007: Impromptu Reunion
In 2005, after an eight-year absence, Dawn Robinson rejoined En Vogue. The original four went on to sign with one of the industry's largest management firms, The Firm Management Group. That September, they joined Salt N Pepa for the girl groups' first-ever joint public performance of their 1994 hit, "Whatta Man" at VH-1's Hip Hop Honors, and briefly toured. They also earned another Grammy nomination for the single "So What the FussSo What the Fuss
"So What the Fuss" is a song from Stevie Wonder's 2005 album A Time to Love. The single, which features Prince and the original four members of En Vogue, became a minor hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and went top 40 on Billboard's R&B chart....
", which featured Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
. The group also appeared in the single's music video. After failing to agree on business terms, Robinson once again chose to defect from En Vogue and Bennett returned. As a result, En Vogue was let go from The Firm. En Vogue continued to perform spot dates in North America with Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron and Rhona Bennett. This line-up also saw the group return to Europe and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for select concert dates. During this time, En Vogue teamed up with Belgian singer Natalia for a song called "Glamorous" where Rhona Bennett's vocals are featured. The single reached No.2 in the Belgian charts and was followed by a DVD release of the concert, which went double platinum.
2008–2011: Dawn returns again; En Vogue reunited.
On 24 June 2008, the original lineup of En Vogue appeared on the BET AwardsBET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
, performing with Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
and TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
as a tribute to girl groups of the 1990s. With speculation abuzz, En Vogue received the twenty-eighth highest number of hits on the Rock on the Net website for the month of June 2008. The following month, the group ascended to the twelfth position. As of June 30, Dawn Robinson has stated officially via an En Vogue Yahoo! fan site that she had indeed returned to En Vogue. On August 6, the original members appeared on Los Angeles' KTLA television station and announced that they have reunited and would do spot dates around the country during the latter part of 2008. The foursome kicked off the Americana at Brand Concert Series in Glendale, California that same evening. Furthermore, En Vogue performed at the 2009 Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival is an annual music festival celebrating contemporary African American music and culture. It is the largest event celebrating African American culture and music in the United States. It has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1995 except for 2006, where it...
, at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans. They continue to tour throughout the United States. In October 2010, the band performed their first UK show in 18 years in London.
On September 26, 2011, a new single called "I´ll Cry Later" was leaked to select urban adult contemporary radio stations, but has yet to be officially released.
Television and film
En Vogue has appeared in Sesame StreetSesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
specials including Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration and in a "Wanda" Sketch with Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
in "In Living Color" in 1993 and Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza is a Sesame Street special that aired on ABC on February 20, 1998.-About the show:The show is a musical, featuring performances from guests Jon Stewart, David Alan Grier, Rosie O' Donnell, Gloria Estefan, En Vogue, The Fugees, Kenny Loggins, Shawn Colvin, Jimmy Buffett, and The Mighty...
in 1998. In Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration the four original members sang "Adventure" about their adventures with some of the Sesame Street characters. The second song was "I Want a Monster"; a song about having a monster as a playmate. It appeared on Elmopalooza and was recorded after Robinson's departure- featuring Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones and Cindy Herron. In Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
they appeared in a cameo appearance as a group of prostitutes who want to seduce Batman, but are disappointed when it is Robin who shows up instead; Robinson also appeared as a holographic prostitute demonstrating how to assemble an appropriate outfit in the film Tank Girl
Tank Girl
Tank Girl is a British comic created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin. Originally drawn by Jamie Hewlett, it has also been drawn by Rufus Dayglo, Ashley Wood, and Mike McMahon.The eponymous character Tank Girl drives a tank, which is also her home...
. En Vogue has also appeared in A Different World as a group of country bumpkin sisters who want to sing. The group also appeared on more than one episode of the highly acclaimed Charles S. Dutton Fox 90's television show Roc
Roc (TV series)
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.-Early episodes:...
, with one of the ladies playing a love interest of Rocky Carrol's character Joey who has to choose between staying with Joey or touring with the rest of the En Vogue ladies. En Vogue recorded a brand new theme song, entitled "Live Your Life Today" for Roc's later season's. They also recorded the theme song for Season 1 of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
, along with Dawnn Lewis
Dawnn Lewis
Dawnn Lewis is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World and in the first season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.-Career:...
and Holly Robinson-Peete. On May 11, 2009 the group appeared on ABC's The View to perform & announce their future reunion tour. On June 7, 2009 the group appeared on A&E Network's Private Sessions
Private Sessions
Private Sessions is a television series produced by the A&E Network featuring entertainers interviewed by host Lynn Hoffman. Most guests are musicians that perform one or more of their songs during the hour-long episode, but actors also have appeared on the show.In the United States, the show...
, performing select hits and discussing the group's past, present and future.
Discography
Studio albums- 1990: Born to SingBorn to Sing-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy*art direction – Bob Defrin...
- 1992: Funky DivasFunky DivasFunky Divas is the second album by the U.S. female vocal group En Vogue. Released in 1992, it became their highest selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of the year, shifting over 5 million copies worldwide.-Background:...
- 1997: EV3EV3EV3 is the third studio album by En Vogue. Originally called "Friendship" It was their first project that wasn't fully produced by Thomas McElroy & Denzil Foster, the then quartet called on hitmakers Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, and Ivan Matias among others to provide the group with a new...
- 2000: Masterpiece TheatreMasterpiece Theatre (album)Masterpiece Theatre is a studio album by American R&B group En Vogue, released in 2000 by Elektra Records. They took famous classical music and put their own R&B flavor on it. It was originally set to be titled "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Cool".The first single was...
- 2002: The Gift of ChristmasThe Gift of Christmas (album)The Gift of Christmas is an album released by the Grammy Award-nominated group En Vogue. The album was released on October 8, 2002 by Discretion Enterprises...
- 2004: Soul FlowerSoul FlowerSoul Flower was En Vogue's sixth album which was released in 2004. Recorded with the independent label 33rd Street, it went on to sell 35,000 copies and failed to chart on the Billboard 200. It reached #47 on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart...
EPs
- 1991: Remix to SingRemix to SingRemix to Sing was En Vogue's first remix album which was released on November 26, 1991.-Track listing:...
- 1993: Runaway LoveRunaway Love (EP)Runaway Love is a 1993 EP by En Vogue's, and followed their breakthrough Funky Divas album from the year before. The EP contained the title track, as well as En Vogue's hit collaboration with Salt-N-Pepa, Whatta Man....
External links
- En Vogue at Rock on the Net.
- En Vogue On AOL
- En Vogue Videos