Wild Orchid (band)
Encyclopedia
Wild Orchid was an American
pop
vocal group.
(who had co-starred with Renee in the Disney Channel
singing TV show Kids Incorporated
from 1984 to 1987) and Heather Holyoak soon joined the group and the girls began searching for a record contract. As they wrote their songs and recorded their first single entitled "Get Crazy – Work It", the girls also began coming up with choreographies for their music. Knowing full well that beauty and talent would go a long way, Renee, Stefanie and Stacy sent a portfolio of photographs out along with their demo tapes. Without waiting around for a record company to call, the girls began performing and singing at nightclubs, charity functions, and began hanging out and singing live at local radio stations.
In February 1991, the then NRG performed at a local LA nightclub for the first time. It was at this time that Heather decided that she wanted to return to college, in which case, the three girls began holding auditions to recruit a fourth member. Micki Duran became the newest member of NRG and she had to endure many late nights of learning new lyrics and dance moves since they were set to perform at a large venue in a couple of months.
In July 1991, NRG performed to a sold out crowd at a BMI showcase and the audience embraced the group instantly. After this performance, however, the group began searching for a new manager and managers came pouring in for a chance. Because their previous manager was making claims that he owned the rights to the group's name, the group decided to change it as soon as possible. By 1992, the girls had found their new manager, Marta Marrero (mother of fellow Kids Incorporated
alumna Martika
), and a new name: Wild Orchid.
Wild Orchid began meeting with a vast amount of record labels including RCA, EMI, and Capitol, but they still could not manage to get a recording contract. They eventually signed a music publishing deal with Sony Publishing
before signing a record contract with RCA Records
in 1994.http://books.google.com/books?id=zQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=Wild+Orchid&as_pt=MAGAZINES Unfortunately, just before doing so, Micki decided to leave the group because she was working on a television show called Roundhouse. So the quartet became a trio consisting of Stacy, Stefanie, and Renee.
In 1995, the girls spent the year writing music with the support of Renee's songwriter brother Bobby Sandstrom, and their debut album took approximately 9 months to complete. That same year, they recorded the theme song for the NBC sitcom Hope & Gloria which aired between March 1995 and June 1996.
Their first single "At Night I Pray
" debuted on the Billboard charts
in September 1996. A video directed by Marcus Nispel
, known for his work with Janet Jackson
, was in heavy rotation on MTV
and VH-1. In March 1997, Wild Orchid released their self-titled debut album. The largely self-written album sold nearly a million units worldwide (including 108,000 units in the U.S. according to Billboard
magazine) and included the singles "Talk to Me" (featured in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In), "At Night I Pray," and "Supernatural." The album received two Billboard Music Award
nominations for "Talk to Me," two Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nominations – one for Album of The Year by A Group, Band or Duo and one for Best Music Video for "Talk To Me," and an American Music Award nomination for Favorite R&B/Soul New Artist.
Wild Orchid spent most of 1996–1997 promoting their debut album, making appearances on Ricki Lake
, Access Hollywood
, MTV
, Wild On!
, The RuPaul Show
, Hard Copy
, Vibe
, Mad TV
, Soul Train
, Pat Bullard
, Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends
, Terry Bradshaw
, Crook and Chase, Jenny Jones
, MuchMusic
's Electric Circus
, as well as a guest appearance on the UPN
sitcom Goode Behavior
. They were frequent guest hosts on E! Network's The Gossip Show. They went on tour with 98 Degrees
and 'NSYNC across the U.S., and did their own promotional tour in the U.S., Canada, and Asia.
In May 1998, they released dance remixes of their songs "I Won't Play The Fool" and "Follow Me" (from their debut album) which were underground club hits. "I Won't Play The Fool" remix landed on a Top 10 Dance Remixes Chart of 1998 in Billboard
. That same month, they performed at "Divas Simply Singing", an annual AIDS benefit concert in Los Angeles hosted by Sheryl Lee Ralph
.
In September 1998, they released their second album, Oxygen which included the single "Be Mine".http://books.google.com/books?id=DQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70&dq=Wild+Orchid&as_pt=MAGAZINES The album sold 22,000 copies in the U.S. according to Billboard. The album release coincided with their stint as Guess
spokespersons and models. They embarked on a brief promotional tour throughout the U.S., continued to host on E!'s The Gossip Show, and performed "Be Mine" on Donny and Marie. Fergie later recounted that during this tour (when their popularity had already plummeted), they performed at a county fair next to a barn of pigs and with an audience of only 3 people, and she woefully described how "the pigs cared more (about us) than the people".
In September 1998, Wild Orchid started to host the Fox Family
Channel's Saturday morning show Great Pretenders
, which featured chart hits lip-synched by everyday kids, while competing for prizes. This show lasted four seasons from 1998 to 2001.
In February 1999, the group performed "Declaration" and "Come As You Are" at the fictitious Peach Pit After Dark during the ninth season of the Aaron Spelling
primetime soap-drama Beverly Hills, 90210
(episode titled "Beheading St. Valentine").
From June 16 to August 28, 1999, they opened for Cher
's "Do You Believe? Tour
" alongside Cyndi Lauper
which took them to 52 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
For a period in 1999, there was discussion of the group returning to the studio to record songs for a re-release of their album Oxygen, due to poor sales of the original version. A remix version of their ballad "Come As You Are" (presumably re-recorded for the planned re-release of Oxygen) was leaked onto the Internet, but this version was never officially released, and neither was a new version of Oxygen.
In November 1999, they sang a two-minute clip of their song "25 Days Of Christmas" in Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Parade which was broadcast live on NBC.
Between 1999 and 2000, the group worked on their third album Fire
which included several tracks co-written and produced by JC Chasez from the pop group N'Sync. The album was slated for a Summer/Fall 2000 release according to Billboard, however the release date was eventually pushed back to Summer 2001. There is widespread speculation, fueled in part by Stacy Ferguson
's own reports in future interviews as Fergie, that Stacy spent much of the year 2000 spiraling downward in a crystal meth addiction fueled by a bad breakup and her frustration by the group's change in musical direction towards teen dance-pop. At one point, Stacy wrote a song about her drug use called "Losing My Ground" and when her bandmates Renee and Stefanie heard it, they staged an intervention which eventually helped Stacy get clean from her drug use. Ironically, this song was later included on Fergie's album The Dutchess
and both Renee and Stefanie were given songwriting credit.
In December 2000, their song "It's All Your Fault" was featured in the film What Women Want
with Mel Gibson, but was not included on the movie soundtrack. This song was also slated to appear on their unreleased third album, Fire.
In May 2001, the group released the first single from their album Fire called "Stuttering (Don't Say)", which reached #33 on the Billboard Top 40 Singles Sales chart, and had a concert special on MuchUSA called Shoutback on July 29, 2001 (which was taped in New York City on April 8, 2001). They also became models for Bongo
, and their advertisement was featured in the August 2001 issue of Cosmopolitan
. They co-wrote the song "What's Good 4 The Goose" which was recorded by the pop group Eden's Crush
on their debut album Popstars
released in May 2001. They went on a US promotional tour for Fire between May and August 2001, where they performed mainly in clubs and small venues with other teen-pop acts.
On May 28, 2001, radio station KDWB in Minneapolis hosted a concert which featured both Wild Orchid and hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas
. It was during this fateful event that Stacy Ferguson met will.i.am
, spoke to him about producing her solo album, and exchanged phone numbers with him. They would meet again several months later when their mutual friend Dante Santiago recruited Stacy to sing on the track "Shut Up" from The Black Eyed Peas
' album Elephunk
.
June 19, 2001 was the targeted release date of the group's third album, Fire, however their record label RCA declined to release it, and by September 2001 the group was dropped from RCA. At that point Stacy Ferguson
left the group, and in 2002, she joined The Black Eyed Peas
under the stage name Fergie.
Between 2002 and 2003, Wild Orchid continued as a duo with Renee and Stefanie. Their album Hypnotic was released exclusively on the group's website in January 2003, and reportedly sold 5000 copies. The group had three concerts that year: Key Club in Hollywood in March 2003, Los Angeles Gay Pride Festival in June 2003, and Lake Havasu Gay Pride Festival in November 2003 which was Wild Orchid's final concert together.
On September 26, 2006, "Talk To Me: Hits, Rarities & Gems" was released by Sony BMG Special Products (probably to coincide with the release of Fergie's solo album The Dutchess
on September 19, 2006). It is fundamentally a greatest hits package, featuring (all previously released) singles and album tracks from Wild Orchid and Oxygen as well as the lone single from "Fire", "Stuttering (Don't Say)" and its B-side, "Lies."
In a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly
, Fergie revealed that both frustrations with the band's image and personal drug problems led her to leave Wild Orchid. However, she met her future The Black Eyed Peas bandmate will.i.am at one of Wild Orchid's final concert appearances together in Minnesota in 2001.http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1333820_4_0_,00.html Ew.com Retrieved on 05-31-07
Renee Sandstrom is now primarily a session singer for children's music. She provided the singing voice for Princess Fiona
in the movie Shrek 2
and her vocals are prominently featured on several Disney albums, including SuperStar Kidz (2003), Superstar Kidz 2 (2004), Mousercise (2007), Disney Cuties (2008), Camp Rock
Soundtrack (2008), and Playhouse Disney Let's Dance (2010). In 2007, she sang with Ruben Martinez in "Just Like We Dreamed It", which was the theme song for the 15th anniversary of Disneyland Resort Paris
. The song was released as a single exclusively in France on March 31, 2007. She also sang on several television commercials, including the ditty "Pump It Up" for Crystal Light
which was briefly available as an online download. She starred in the 2008 movie American Indian as Young Darlene, however this movie was never released. She wrote the music for the song "On Penguin Pond" featured on the Jim Henson Company's Sid The Science Kid Soundtrack – Volume One (2009).
Stefanie Ridel has turned her focus towards writing and producing music. She co-wrote and produced tracks for the following artists: Slumber Party Girls
, Joanna Pacitti
, Prima J
, Girlicious
, Pussycat Dolls
, Lakisha Jones
, Orianthi
, Days Difference
, Allison Iraheta
, Vanessa Amorosi
, Miley Cyrus
, Christina Aguilera
(on the Burlesque Motion Picture Soundtrack), and perhaps most interestingly, two tracks on Fergie's debut CD The Duchess. Stefanie also co-founded the Talent Bootcamp in which she coaches young aspiring musical artists. Between 2004 and 2005, Stefanie was the lead singer for the techno-dance duo 5th Element with DJ Rain, and their album was released exclusively online on DJ Rain's website. Stefanie's singing voice was last heard on the Bratz: The Movie
Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007), in which she sang lead on two songs and co-wrote and co-produced many others. She is also an avid bowler. Stefanie is currently married to former Wild Orchid producer and Geffen Records
President Ron Fair
, and they have three children together.
An orchid is a flower
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
vocal group.
History
Wild Orchid began in 1990 when Renee Sandstrom and Stefanie Ridel met in their southern California high school's drama department. What brought Renee and Stefanie together was their shared love of poetry, music, and taste for fame. Soon after they met, Renee and Stefanie decided to form a music group together. Initially, they called themselves New Rhythm Generation or NRG (energy). Stacy FergusonStacy Ferguson
Stacy Ann Ferguson , better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas...
(who had co-starred with Renee in the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
singing TV show Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
from 1984 to 1987) and Heather Holyoak soon joined the group and the girls began searching for a record contract. As they wrote their songs and recorded their first single entitled "Get Crazy – Work It", the girls also began coming up with choreographies for their music. Knowing full well that beauty and talent would go a long way, Renee, Stefanie and Stacy sent a portfolio of photographs out along with their demo tapes. Without waiting around for a record company to call, the girls began performing and singing at nightclubs, charity functions, and began hanging out and singing live at local radio stations.
In February 1991, the then NRG performed at a local LA nightclub for the first time. It was at this time that Heather decided that she wanted to return to college, in which case, the three girls began holding auditions to recruit a fourth member. Micki Duran became the newest member of NRG and she had to endure many late nights of learning new lyrics and dance moves since they were set to perform at a large venue in a couple of months.
In July 1991, NRG performed to a sold out crowd at a BMI showcase and the audience embraced the group instantly. After this performance, however, the group began searching for a new manager and managers came pouring in for a chance. Because their previous manager was making claims that he owned the rights to the group's name, the group decided to change it as soon as possible. By 1992, the girls had found their new manager, Marta Marrero (mother of fellow Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
alumna Martika
Martika
Martika is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress. As a singer she released two internationally successful albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over four million copies worldwide.-Early life and career:Martika entered mainstream show business in an uncredited role as one of the...
), and a new name: Wild Orchid.
Wild Orchid began meeting with a vast amount of record labels including RCA, EMI, and Capitol, but they still could not manage to get a recording contract. They eventually signed a music publishing deal with Sony Publishing
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
before signing a record contract with RCA Records
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was a recorded music company, which was a 50–50 joint venture between the Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann AG...
in 1994.http://books.google.com/books?id=zQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14&dq=Wild+Orchid&as_pt=MAGAZINES Unfortunately, just before doing so, Micki decided to leave the group because she was working on a television show called Roundhouse. So the quartet became a trio consisting of Stacy, Stefanie, and Renee.
In 1995, the girls spent the year writing music with the support of Renee's songwriter brother Bobby Sandstrom, and their debut album took approximately 9 months to complete. That same year, they recorded the theme song for the NBC sitcom Hope & Gloria which aired between March 1995 and June 1996.
Their first single "At Night I Pray
At Night I Pray
"At Night I Pray" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the first single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "At Night I Pray" reached the top 40 of the Top 40 Mainstream chart in the US and Canada. The song gained fairly high and stable airplay which boosted the sales of the single...
" debuted on the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
in September 1996. A video directed by Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel is a German–American feature film director and producer, and formerly a director of television commercials and music videos. Many of his films have been remakes, all of which have met with a negative critical reception....
, known for his work with Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, was in heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and VH-1. In March 1997, Wild Orchid released their self-titled debut album. The largely self-written album sold nearly a million units worldwide (including 108,000 units in the U.S. according to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine) and included the singles "Talk to Me" (featured in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In), "At Night I Pray," and "Supernatural." The album received two 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...
nominations for "Talk to Me," two Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nominations – one for Album of The Year by A Group, Band or Duo and one for Best Music Video for "Talk To Me," and an American Music Award nomination for Favorite R&B/Soul New Artist.
Wild Orchid spent most of 1996–1997 promoting their debut album, making appearances on Ricki Lake
Ricki Lake
Ricki Pamela Lake is an American actress, producer, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from...
, Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Wild On!
Wild On!
Wild On! is a travel show that was produced from 1997 until 2003 by E!.The series transported its viewers to the scariest "fun" destinations in the world, from Miami to Milan. It had three primary hosts over the years: Jules Asner , Brooke Burke , and Cindy Taylor...
, The RuPaul Show
The RuPaul Show
The RuPaul Show is an American talk/variety show that premiered on VH1 in 1996. Hosted by drag performer, RuPaul, the show had many famous musical guests and was notable as being one of the first national television programs in the United States hosted by an openly gay host...
, Hard Copy
Hard Copy
Hard Copy is an American tabloid news television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. Hard Copy was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence....
, Vibe
Vibe (TV channel)
Vibe is an entertainment channel on New Zealand's SKY Television. It is not part of the Freeview service.The channel is aimed mostly at a female audience and includes drama, comedy and reality series, many of which will airing on SKY for the first time....
, Mad TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
, 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...
, Pat Bullard
Pat Bullard
Patrick Bullard is a Canadian writer and comedian. He was born in Mississauga, Ontario.He has written for the sitcoms Roseanne, Reba, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, and Grace Under Fire...
, Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends
Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends
Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends was an hour-long daytime talk/variety show that ran on ABC from June 10, 1996 to May 30, 1997. The series was produced by Viacom Productions.-Details:...
, Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, Crook and Chase, Jenny Jones
The Jenny Jones Show
The Jenny Jones Show is an American syndicated daytime tabloid talk show that was hosted by comedian/actress/singer Jenny Jones. It was produced by Telepictures and was distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
, MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's Electric Circus
Electric Circus
Electric Circus, aka EC, was a Canadian live dance music television program aired on MuchMusic and Citytv. It aired from September 16, 1988 until December 12, 2003....
, as well as a guest appearance on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcom Goode Behavior
Goode Behavior
Goode Behavior is an American sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on UPN. The series was cancelled after its first season, airing its last episode on May 19, 1997, for a total of 23 episodes.-Synopsis:...
. They were frequent guest hosts on E! Network's The Gossip Show. They went on tour with 98 Degrees
98 Degrees
98 Degrees is an American adult contemporary boy band consisting of four vocalists: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, California....
and 'NSYNC across the U.S., and did their own promotional tour in the U.S., Canada, and Asia.
In May 1998, they released dance remixes of their songs "I Won't Play The Fool" and "Follow Me" (from their debut album) which were underground club hits. "I Won't Play The Fool" remix landed on a Top 10 Dance Remixes Chart of 1998 in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. That same month, they performed at "Divas Simply Singing", an annual AIDS benefit concert in Los Angeles hosted by Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...
.
In September 1998, they released their second album, Oxygen which included the single "Be Mine".http://books.google.com/books?id=DQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70&dq=Wild+Orchid&as_pt=MAGAZINES The album sold 22,000 copies in the U.S. according to Billboard. The album release coincided with their stint as Guess
Guess
The word guess commonly refers to a conjecture or estimation. To "guess" is to make a prediction without sufficient information or knowledge.Guess may also refer to:*Guess , an American name-brand clothing line...
spokespersons and models. They embarked on a brief promotional tour throughout the U.S., continued to host on E!'s The Gossip Show, and performed "Be Mine" on Donny and Marie. Fergie later recounted that during this tour (when their popularity had already plummeted), they performed at a county fair next to a barn of pigs and with an audience of only 3 people, and she woefully described how "the pigs cared more (about us) than the people".
In September 1998, Wild Orchid started to host the Fox Family
Fox Family
Fox Family may refer to:* The Fox Family, a 2006 South Korean film* Fox Family, a former name of American television cable network ABC Family...
Channel's Saturday morning show Great Pretenders
Great Pretenders
Great Pretenders is an American half-hour television music game show on Fox Family that ran for about four seasons beginning in 1999. It is hosted by former pop trio Wild Orchid. On the show, teenagers lip sync and dance to their favorite songs for the chance to win prizes...
, which featured chart hits lip-synched by everyday kids, while competing for prizes. This show lasted four seasons from 1998 to 2001.
In February 1999, the group performed "Declaration" and "Come As You Are" at the fictitious Peach Pit After Dark during the ninth season of the Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
primetime soap-drama Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
(episode titled "Beheading St. Valentine").
From June 16 to August 28, 1999, they opened for Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
's "Do You Believe? Tour
Do You Believe? Tour
The Do You Believe? Tour, sometimes also known as The Believe Tour, was Cher’s third solo concert tour. The tour which took place in 1999 and 2000, was used to promote her album Believe.-History:...
" alongside Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
which took them to 52 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
For a period in 1999, there was discussion of the group returning to the studio to record songs for a re-release of their album Oxygen, due to poor sales of the original version. A remix version of their ballad "Come As You Are" (presumably re-recorded for the planned re-release of Oxygen) was leaked onto the Internet, but this version was never officially released, and neither was a new version of Oxygen.
In November 1999, they sang a two-minute clip of their song "25 Days Of Christmas" in Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Parade which was broadcast live on NBC.
Between 1999 and 2000, the group worked on their third album Fire
Fire (Wild Orchid album)
Fire was the third album by Wild Orchid, but was never officially released. In 2001, the album was leaked on the internet. The track, "Simon Sez" was later recorded on the band's next album, "Hypnotic".-Track listing:...
which included several tracks co-written and produced by JC Chasez from the pop group N'Sync. The album was slated for a Summer/Fall 2000 release according to Billboard, however the release date was eventually pushed back to Summer 2001. There is widespread speculation, fueled in part by Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ann Ferguson , better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas...
's own reports in future interviews as Fergie, that Stacy spent much of the year 2000 spiraling downward in a crystal meth addiction fueled by a bad breakup and her frustration by the group's change in musical direction towards teen dance-pop. At one point, Stacy wrote a song about her drug use called "Losing My Ground" and when her bandmates Renee and Stefanie heard it, they staged an intervention which eventually helped Stacy get clean from her drug use. Ironically, this song was later included on Fergie's album The Dutchess
The Dutchess
The Dutchess is the debut and only studio album by American recording artist Fergie, who is a member of The Black Eyed Peas. The album was released on September 19, 2006. As of 2008, the album has sold more than six million copies worldwide...
and both Renee and Stefanie were given songwriting credit.
In December 2000, their song "It's All Your Fault" was featured in the film What Women Want
What Women Want
What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic comedy film, directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The movie was a box office success with a domestic gross of $182,811,707 and a worldwide gross of $374,111,707, against a budget of $70 million.-Plot:Nick Marshall, a Chicago...
with Mel Gibson, but was not included on the movie soundtrack. This song was also slated to appear on their unreleased third album, Fire.
In May 2001, the group released the first single from their album Fire called "Stuttering (Don't Say)", which reached #33 on the Billboard Top 40 Singles Sales chart, and had a concert special on MuchUSA called Shoutback on July 29, 2001 (which was taped in New York City on April 8, 2001). They also became models for Bongo
Bongo
Bongo may refer to:In nature:*Bongo , a species of forest antelope from AfricaIn geography:*Bongo Country, the name of several places in Africa*Bongo , Ivory CoastIn entertainment:...
, and their advertisement was featured in the August 2001 issue of Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
. They co-wrote the song "What's Good 4 The Goose" which was recorded by the pop group Eden's Crush
Eden's Crush
Eden's Crush is a former girl group based in Los Angeles created on the American television series Popstars which aired on AOL Time Warner's WB television network in early 2001, and promoted on the AOL on-line service...
on their debut album Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
released in May 2001. They went on a US promotional tour for Fire between May and August 2001, where they performed mainly in clubs and small venues with other teen-pop acts.
On May 28, 2001, radio station KDWB in Minneapolis hosted a concert which featured both Wild Orchid and hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
. It was during this fateful event that Stacy Ferguson met will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, spoke to him about producing her solo album, and exchanged phone numbers with him. They would meet again several months later when their mutual friend Dante Santiago recruited Stacy to sing on the track "Shut Up" from The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' album Elephunk
Elephunk
-Commercial response:In the United States, Elephunk reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 200 and is their first album to chart in the top 15. It gained even more commercial success in the UK Album Charts where it reached number 3. It has sold over 1.6 million copies in the UK and...
.
June 19, 2001 was the targeted release date of the group's third album, Fire, however their record label RCA declined to release it, and by September 2001 the group was dropped from RCA. At that point Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ann Ferguson , better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas...
left the group, and in 2002, she joined The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
under the stage name Fergie.
Between 2002 and 2003, Wild Orchid continued as a duo with Renee and Stefanie. Their album Hypnotic was released exclusively on the group's website in January 2003, and reportedly sold 5000 copies. The group had three concerts that year: Key Club in Hollywood in March 2003, Los Angeles Gay Pride Festival in June 2003, and Lake Havasu Gay Pride Festival in November 2003 which was Wild Orchid's final concert together.
On September 26, 2006, "Talk To Me: Hits, Rarities & Gems" was released by Sony BMG Special Products (probably to coincide with the release of Fergie's solo album The Dutchess
The Dutchess
The Dutchess is the debut and only studio album by American recording artist Fergie, who is a member of The Black Eyed Peas. The album was released on September 19, 2006. As of 2008, the album has sold more than six million copies worldwide...
on September 19, 2006). It is fundamentally a greatest hits package, featuring (all previously released) singles and album tracks from Wild Orchid and Oxygen as well as the lone single from "Fire", "Stuttering (Don't Say)" and its B-side, "Lies."
In a 2006 interview with 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...
, Fergie revealed that both frustrations with the band's image and personal drug problems led her to leave Wild Orchid. However, she met her future The Black Eyed Peas bandmate will.i.am at one of Wild Orchid's final concert appearances together in Minnesota in 2001.http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1333820_4_0_,00.html Ew.com Retrieved on 05-31-07
Renee Sandstrom is now primarily a session singer for children's music. She provided the singing voice for Princess Fiona
Princess Fiona
Princess Fiona is the princess and the tritagonist in the films Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After. Actress Cameron Diaz provides her voice to the character, and Fiona's singing is provided by Renee Sands of Kids Incorporated and Wild Orchid.-Shrek:In Shrek, Lord Farquaad sends...
in the movie Shrek 2
Shrek 2
Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
and her vocals are prominently featured on several Disney albums, including SuperStar Kidz (2003), Superstar Kidz 2 (2004), Mousercise (2007), Disney Cuties (2008), Camp Rock
Camp Rock
Camp Rock is a 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie starring the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato. The music is written by Julie Brown, Paul Brown, Regina Hicks and Karen Gist. The film is directed by Matthew Diamond and produced by Alan Sacks....
Soundtrack (2008), and Playhouse Disney Let's Dance (2010). In 2007, she sang with Ruben Martinez in "Just Like We Dreamed It", which was the theme song for the 15th anniversary of Disneyland Resort Paris
Disneyland Resort Paris
Disneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. The complex is located from the centre of Paris and lies for the most part within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne....
. The song was released as a single exclusively in France on March 31, 2007. She also sang on several television commercials, including the ditty "Pump It Up" for Crystal Light
Crystal Light
Crystal Light is a low-calorie powdered beverage mix that offers naturally and artificially sweetened beverage options in multiple flavors. Originally marketed in 1982 with Linda Evans as its spokesperson, the company later had celebrities Raquel Welch and Priscilla Presley as spokeswomen...
which was briefly available as an online download. She starred in the 2008 movie American Indian as Young Darlene, however this movie was never released. She wrote the music for the song "On Penguin Pond" featured on the Jim Henson Company's Sid The Science Kid Soundtrack – Volume One (2009).
Stefanie Ridel has turned her focus towards writing and producing music. She co-wrote and produced tracks for the following artists: Slumber Party Girls
Slumber Party Girls
The Slumber Party Girls were an all-girl American pop band.Their debut album, Dance Revolution, was released on October 3, 2006. During the 2006-2007 television season, SPG hosted the KOL Secret...
, Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti is an American singer and lead vocalist in the band City State.-Theater:In 1996, at age 12, Pacitti was chosen to star in the 20th anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the department store Macy's...
, Prima J
Prima J
Prima J is an American musical group, composed of cousins Jessica and Janelle Martinez. Jessica, born on May 25, 1988, and Janelle, born on August 26, 1988, came up with the stagename "Prima J" by taking the letter "J" out of their first names, and the spanish word "prima" , and put it...
, Girlicious
Girlicious
Girlicious is an American girl group originally formed by Robin Antin, creator of the Pussycat Dolls, from the CW reality TV show Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. The group was originally signed to Geffen Records and composed of members Natalie Mejia, Chrystina Sayers, Nichole Corvoda and...
, Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
, Lakisha Jones
LaKisha Jones
LaKisha Ann Jones is an American singer. She placed fourth on the sixth season of American Idol.-Personal life:Jones was born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, to a teacher at the Flint Foundation Academy...
, Orianthi
Orianthi
Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
, Days Difference
Days Difference
Days Difference is a pop/rock band that formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2004. The quartet consists of Jeremy Smith , Jonathan Smith , Micah Ricks and Jeremiah Ricks . The group released their debut album Numbers in 2007...
, Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
, Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
, Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
(on the Burlesque Motion Picture Soundtrack), and perhaps most interestingly, two tracks on Fergie's debut CD The Duchess. Stefanie also co-founded the Talent Bootcamp in which she coaches young aspiring musical artists. Between 2004 and 2005, Stefanie was the lead singer for the techno-dance duo 5th Element with DJ Rain, and their album was released exclusively online on DJ Rain's website. Stefanie's singing voice was last heard on the Bratz: The Movie
Bratz: The Movie
Bratz: The Movie is a live-action feature film based on the Bratz line of cartoon characters and dolls. It was released to American theaters on August 3, 2007. It was co-produced by MGA Entertainment, Avi Arad Productions, and Crystal Sky Pictures teamed up. Crystal Sky Pictures financed the film,...
Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007), in which she sang lead on two songs and co-wrote and co-produced many others. She is also an avid bowler. Stefanie is currently married to former Wild Orchid producer and Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
President Ron Fair
Ron Fair
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
, and they have three children together.
Studio albums
- 1996: Wild OrchidWild Orchid (album)Wild Orchid is the self-titled debut and most successful album by American group Wild Orchid , released in 1996...
- 1998: Oxygen
- 2001: FireFire (Wild Orchid album)Fire was the third album by Wild Orchid, but was never officially released. In 2001, the album was leaked on the internet. The track, "Simon Sez" was later recorded on the band's next album, "Hypnotic".-Track listing:...
http://books.google.com/books?id=WQ8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16&dq=Wild+Orchid&as_pt=MAGAZINES - 2003: HypnoticHypnotic (Wild Orchid album)Hypnotic is the last album by Wild Orchid. It is the first album released by Wild Orchid since Stacy Ferguson, a former member of the band, left and is now a member of the hip hop band The Black Eyed Peas...
Singles
| Year | Title | Album | 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... |
Sales | Top 40 | R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "At Night I Pray At Night I Pray "At Night I Pray" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the first single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "At Night I Pray" reached the top 40 of the Top 40 Mainstream chart in the US and Canada. The song gained fairly high and stable airplay which boosted the sales of the single... " |
Wild Orchid | 63 | – | 29 | 67 | 29 |
| 1997 | "Talk to Me Talk to Me (Wild Orchid song) "Talk to Me" is a song by Wild Orchid, release as the second single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "Talk to Me" made dance chart history when it was the first single by a female group to enter the Hot Dance/Maxi Single Sales chart in the top ten. After the singles huge success in the... " |
Wild Orchid | 48 | 10 | 31 | 85 | 38 |
| 1997 | "Supernatural Supernatural (Wild Orchid song) "Supernatural" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the final single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. Though "Supernatural" was an MTV and VH-1 favorite, the single was the least successful of the commercial singles released from the album. The song debuted at #10 on the TRL... " |
Wild Orchid | 70 | – | – | – | – |
| 1998 | "Be Mine Be Mine "Be Mine" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as their first single from their second album, Oxygen. After scoring modest pop success with singles like "Talk to Me" and "At Night I Pray", the single was released and was heavily promoted by RCA records which hoped that Wild Orchid would finally score... " |
Oxygen | 103 | – | – | – | – |
| 2001 | "Stuttering (Don't Say) Stuttering (Don't Say) "Stuttering " was the last single from Wild Orchid, released on 8 May 2001. Unlike any of their previous singles, "Stuttering " failed to make any significant impact on the airplay charts, only appearing at the lower segments of some sub-categories airplay Billboard charts... " |
Fire | – | – | 33 | – | – |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "At Night I Pray At Night I Pray "At Night I Pray" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the first single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "At Night I Pray" reached the top 40 of the Top 40 Mainstream chart in the US and Canada. The song gained fairly high and stable airplay which boosted the sales of the single... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1996 | "At Night I Pray (Director Version) At Night I Pray "At Night I Pray" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the first single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "At Night I Pray" reached the top 40 of the Top 40 Mainstream chart in the US and Canada. The song gained fairly high and stable airplay which boosted the sales of the single... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1996 | "Merry Kris-Mix" | - |
| 1997 | "Talk to Me Talk to Me (Wild Orchid song) "Talk to Me" is a song by Wild Orchid, release as the second single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "Talk to Me" made dance chart history when it was the first single by a female group to enter the Hot Dance/Maxi Single Sales chart in the top ten. After the singles huge success in the... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1997 | "Talk to Me (Junior Vasquez Mix) Talk to Me (Wild Orchid song) "Talk to Me" is a song by Wild Orchid, release as the second single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. "Talk to Me" made dance chart history when it was the first single by a female group to enter the Hot Dance/Maxi Single Sales chart in the top ten. After the singles huge success in the... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1997 | "Supernatural Supernatural (Wild Orchid song) "Supernatural" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the final single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. Though "Supernatural" was an MTV and VH-1 favorite, the single was the least successful of the commercial singles released from the album. The song debuted at #10 on the TRL... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1997 | "Supernatural (Remix) (featuring K-Borne) Supernatural (Wild Orchid song) "Supernatural" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as the final single from their self-titled debut, Wild Orchid. Though "Supernatural" was an MTV and VH-1 favorite, the single was the least successful of the commercial singles released from the album. The song debuted at #10 on the TRL... " |
Wild Orchid |
| 1998 | "Be Mine Be Mine "Be Mine" is a song by Wild Orchid, released as their first single from their second album, Oxygen. After scoring modest pop success with singles like "Talk to Me" and "At Night I Pray", the single was released and was heavily promoted by RCA records which hoped that Wild Orchid would finally score... " |
Oxygen |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Nominated | 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... http://books.google.com/books?id=nAkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA97&dq=%22WILD+ORCHID%22+%22TALK+TO+ME%22+%22MUSIC+VIDEO+AWARDS%22&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=MAGAZINES&rview=1&cd=1#v=onepage&q=%22WILD%20ORCHID%22%20%22TALK%20TO%20ME%22%20%22MUSIC%20VIDEO%20AWARDS%22&f=false |
Best Clip – Dance | "Talk to Me" |
| Nominated | Billboard Music Award | Best New Artist Clip – Dance | "Talk to Me" | |
External links
- Stefanie Ridel Website
- Wild Orchid Biography at Yahoo Music
- Wild Orchid at iTunesITunes StoreThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
An orchid is a flower