En Vogue: The Funky Divas

Though compared often to the Supremes, the all girl vocal quartet, En Vogue has their own distinctive style with their full throated vocals distinguishing them from their contemporaries.

The group originated when producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy cam up with the idea of forming a group that would merge R&B with hip hop and new jack swing rhythms. They wanted an all girl combination who would not only provide strong vocals but also project intelligence and sultriness. Auditions followed and potential group members were picked according to their suitability to the image that the producers wanted to establish.

The original line up consisted of four members: Maxine Jones, Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis and former Miss Black California Cindy Herron. Named For You the group was promoted as a stylish and sophisticated girl band. Later they would change their name first to Vogue and then to En Vogue.

The group made their debut with Born to Sing in 1990. The album included the single Hold On, which became a crossover hit. Riding piggyback on its success the album too went platinum.

In 1992 came the group’s second album Funky Divas which was appreciated by critics and fans alike. This album showcased the ability of the girls to embrace different styles ranging from R&B and pop to rap, reggae and rock. It spawned the singles My Lovin’(You’re Never Gonna Get it) and Giving Him Something He Can Feel, both covers of Curtis Mayfield originals as well as Free Your Mind. All three singles became top ten hits while the album went multi-platinum.

The girls scored another top ten hit when they backed Salt-N-Pepa on their single Whatta Man in 1993. Early in 1997 they released the #2 Don’t Let Go ( Love) , a track used on the soundtrack of Set It Off. The same year they released their third album EV3. Two years later came The Best of En Vogue, the group’s first compilation album. Soon after however their label dropped them as their sales were no longer meeting expectations.

Signing to various other labels the group carried on recording. The new millennium started off with Masterpiece Theatre (2000), followed by their second compilation album, The Very Best Of En Vogue (2001) on Rhino. The next year saw the group contributing to the Deliver Us From Eva soundtrack and releasing their first holiday album, The Gift of Christmas on Discretion Entertainment, a small independent label.

During this entire period the group had been experiencing regular changes in their line-up, often becoming a trio instead of a quartet. Dawn Robinson left the group while recording their third album in 1997. Subsequently Amanda Cole took her place in 2001. However shortly afterwards Maxine Johnson quit, citing family commitments and the group became a trio once again. Cole too left in 2003 to pursue a solo career and attempts to bring Jones and Robinson back to the fold proved unsuccessful.

In late 2003, however the group did come together for a small tour of Europe. A new member Rhona Bennett was inducted and Jones filled in for Herron who was away having her fourth baby.
After the tour Herron came back and Jones departed. The new trio went on to release Soul Flower in 2004 on 33rd Street Records.

Throughout their career, the girls have received equal credit for their lead vocals and were always treated as equals within the group.