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Home , Cindy Herron, Dawn Robinson, En Vogue, Funky Divas, Maxine Jones, Rhona Bennett

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FROM QUARTET TO TRIO, THE STILL SHOW (AND PROVE) THEY WERE BORN TO SING : L AT OYA C R O S S

APRIL/MAY 2017 EBONY.COM 83 lion YouTube views. But wait, there’s connection that goes into play when to learn each of more: The sultry songstresses climbed blending voices, one that Bennett came En Vogue members, from left, , the girls and re- the charts six times with singles “Hold equipped with, Ellis explains. and -Braggs spect the difer- On,” “My Lovin’ (Never Gonna Get “It’s being conscious of each other ences,” says El- It),” “Free Your Mind,” “Giving Him when we’re singing,” she says. “Where lis, the youngest .The Marvelettes. ,” “Don’t Let is she placing her vibrato? What’s the of fve siblings. . Between the 1960s Go,” and “Whatta Man” featuring tempo or how is she executing this song, “For me, that’s and the 1980s, the music scene was Salt-N-Pepa. this line or this word? I never thought freeing your dominated by timeless female groups. On top of their silky siren abilities, about it, but maybe that does come with mind. I think the But when it comes to dynam- pop culture embraced the clingy red some seasoning and time. Rhona is a key is to under- ics, the are defned by En Vogue— dresses the vocally gifed women se- veteran as well, so she came in with that stand that you a foursome equipped with efortless duced viewers with in the music video information and awareness already. So are uniquely dif- vocals, stunning looks and a forward- for “Giving Him Something He Can it works.” ferent, uniquely thinking pulse on fashion. Feel” from their sophomore , Before joining the group, Bennett, awesome and Cindy Herron-Braggs, Terry Ellis, Funky Divas (1992). They were (cliché the youngest of the crew, was intrigued respecting that. and were ahead) the perfect package. by the positive examples and images En That’s what it fun, fy and fawless when it came to Sultry, classy and oozing with grown Vogue represented. takes. I knew I their vocal chops. womanhood, Cindy, Dawn, Terry and “Coming up and seeing these four was walking into Formed in 1988, in Oakland, Calif., Maxine painted a picture that clearly beautiful women, and not needing to a sisterhood. Twith creative massaging by production had guys losing their cool. The famous lead with their [bodies but] leading with Even though tag team Denzil Foster and Thomas frocks, along with the silver-sequined their intellect, talent and class, [they Max and Dawn McElroy, the quartet was an attempt to minis worn in “My Lovin,” are on dis- were] just wonderful role models,” she are gone, almost revive R&B’s dying genre and serve as play at the Smithsonian National Mu- says. to the very day an updated version of 1970s standouts, seum of African American History and In addition to being admirable ex- that they lef, we . Like their predecessors, Culture. amples of Black women, when it comes were still laugh- who hailed from Chicago and had a Yes, the group is now historic, but it is to the music, the ladies ofer glimpses ing.” sound grounded in gospel, En Vogue also set to last well into the future, add- of their hilarious personalities via their claimed exhibit and continued love for music comes into play.” Herron-Braggs adds: “I think in the infused R&B, pop, , jazz and even ing fresh talent along the way. homegirl-like dialogue on skits be- the stage, the ladies are settled in for a “We’re not afraid to be creative and beginning, for me, I wasn’t clear on rock into their fnal product. Having built a career as an actress tween album tracks such as on Born to busy 2017. Their world tour kicked of in color outside the lines,” Herron-Braggs that, although I always knew this is a “[Our] sound sort of dictated our (Mickey Mouse Club, Jamie Foxx Show), Sing’s “Party” intro and the ending of March in South Africa and was followed chimes in. democracy. But as you go along, you fashion,” Ellis says of the group that singer and Bennett per- “Strange.” On Funky Divas, they boldly by a three-week performance schedule start to see the diferent colors, tal- still boasts Braggs and newest addition, manently joined the group in the mid- show you who they are and what they are in Europe and a fve-month show run in BUILT TO LAST ents and creative input. You come to Rhona Bennett (who joined in 2004). 2000s, following the fnal departure of about with the chart-topping single and the States beginning May 13. There’s a certain staying power and respect it because everybody does have “It was cutting edge. It was raw, fresh Robinson and Jones. Fortunately, the generational staple “Free Your Mind.” Since 2016, the trio has been in the intent that one must embody when a great value [in terms of] what he or and timeless. And that’s what En Vogue magic continued with nonstop touring Staged as a high-styled fashion show, studio and riding the wave of its new- it comes to the entertainment indus- she brings [to the table]. The big pic- stands for. Thank God, we’re here 25- dates, and Bennett even joined Ellis and the visuals for the single are just as free est single, “Déjà Vu,” which delivers try. Too ofen, and more specifcally ture becomes clearer as you go along. plus years later.” Herron-Braggs for the 2014 TV movie as the message. a 1960s vibe and will appear on the through television shows such as the That’s what really gives us, I think, Over the span of those decades, En An En Vogue Christmas, in which the la- “It’s funny that you can hear that song group’s long-awaited, highly antici- documentary series Unsung, we see staying power.” Vogue has sold more than 20 million dies performed two new songs. now, and it really just plays into where pated sixth album, Electric Café, due out the downfall of artists because of mis- En Vogue, originally the brainchild , amassed beyond 30 million “Of course, Maxine and Dawn cannot the mindset of America is and how we this year. The efort serves as Bennett’s guided business practices and selfsh of two men, is still using experience to digital streams and garnered 30 mil- be replaced,” Bennett acknowledges so need to free our minds so that the rest second album recording with her group desires. grow its artistry. during an interview with the group at of the good stuf can follow,” Herron- members. Though there have been a few revolv- “It’s a blessing to have two producers EBONY’s headquarters in Chicago. Braggs says. “When we wrote the song, The ladies sport vivacious smiles ing doors and musical chairs with En that were men in the music industry and “I never thought about it as replacing we were writing, personally, about some when speaking of the project that will Vogue, and a lawsuit fled by Ellis and had [such a] level of respect for women anybody. So coming in, [I’d ask myself], of the things we had experienced that include production from Raphael Saa- Herron-Braggs over the use of the plat- [to] create a girl group and extend their ‘How can I keep with the integrity of the were prejudiced and how everybody has MANUEL NAUTA/ SHUTTERSTOCK/ REX diq, Dem Jointz of Dr. Dre’s Compton inum-selling group name and brand, information,” Ellis reveals. They em- sound but still just be who I am?’ I’ve experienced or is prejudiced to a degree fame and of course, the home team, nothing has stopped the group’s prog- powered and encouraged us to be self- been operating like that ever since.” about something. The message was ‘free Foster and McElroy. ress and ability to make timeless mu- assured, confdent, strong Black wom- your mind.’ No matter what you think or “We’re really excited,” Ellis says, sic—from Born to Sing through the 2004 en. That was the message from the very BORN TO BE DIVAS you think you see about me, dig deeper squirming in her seat. “You’re going to album . beginning in our music, and that was Packaging and powerhouse vocals [and] think further.” get the signature En Vogue harmonies. Ellis attributes that to being aware because of them and because of the way aside, it’s important to note that wheth- The record has a very eclectic but inter- that amid the fun and glamour, this is a we fought and felt as Black women, too. er it’s been the original four or the cur- ELECTRIC CAFÉ national vibe to it. I think it’s a little for- business and you can’t get caught up in We knew that we were a representation En Vogue’s debut album release in 1990 rent trio, harmony is the hallmark. With an abundance of accolades, a ward because when we all get together the “world of make-believe.” of Black America and Black women, es-

There’s a skilled technique and innate history-preserving position in an ac- OPENING SPREAD: PICTORIAL PRESS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; DAVID ROTH / AT L A Nwith T I C R EC O R D S our producers, that vast library of “When I got in this group, I learned pecially.”

84 EBONY.COM APRIL/MAY 2017 For video extras with the ladies of En Vogue, visit Ebony.com. APRIL/MAY 2017 EBONY.COM 85