N'Dea Davenport

N'Dea Davenport is best-known for the four years she spent with <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a>, a predominantly British, London-based retro-soul/funk outfit that was quite popular in Great Britain in the '90s, but recalled '70s favorites like <a href="spotify:artist:0JCxGVxsISZzJHJPUOtceB">Tower of Power</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3tx8fyu3c4OBP5nejYtUOb">the Average White Band</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4QQgXkCYTt3BlENzhyNETg">Earth, Wind & Fire</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1YLsqPcFg1rj7VvhfwnDWm">Rufus & Chaka Khan</a>. Because Davenport has been closely identified with the United Kingdom's R&B scene, she has often been compared to British R&B artists like <a href="spotify:artist:7ooehj86xYi05XJoVNxJGO">Mica Paris</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2jS7I1u7BpgWT9ssG62Zr1">Lisa Stansfield</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2RhMHmV21ZDcSGZ872U4ZY">Caron Wheeler</a> (formerly of <a href="spotify:artist:2sIx6SmAMw9IBySG3Uj0jf">Soul II Soul</a>). But unlike those artists, Davenport didn't grow up in England -- or anywhere else in the U.K. -- she is actually an American singer who was born and raised in Atlanta, where she was influenced by American soul goddesses like <a href="spotify:artist:6mQfAAqZGBzIfrmlZCeaYT">Chaka Khan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:61UT1Zj9dFgPAjZfwnsqsb">Teena Marie</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2i1IdHG5w0wiSmJGoqAGlj">Minnie Riperton</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5jNGQ7VOU87x5402JjhTtd">Deniece Williams</a>, among others. As a young adult, Davenport moved to Los Angeles in the '80s -- and that was where she met Michael C. Ross and Matt Dike, the owners of Delicious Vinyl Records. In the late '80s, the company (which had a distribution deal with Island) was earning a reputation as a West Coast hip-hop label thanks to hits by L.A.-based rappers <a href="spotify:artist:5Y8EphH8Vdqu5SLj6K5vjj">Tone-Loc</a> ("Wild Thing," "Funky Cold Medina") and <a href="spotify:artist:5n30a5V4ftXNMHCHChmK2h">Young MC</a> ("Bust a Move"), but Delicious Vinyl didn't want to be an all-rap label -- they were also interested in R&B and rock, and one of the R&B acts that excited them was <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a> (who had been around the London scene since 1985). After the departure of singer Jay Ella Ruth in the late '80s, <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a> needed a new female lead vocalist -- and Delicious Vinyl recommended Davenport for the position. After accepting the offer and joining <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a> in 1990, Davenport moved to London and was prominently featured on the band's self-titled debut album (which Delicious Vinyl released in the United States in 1991). "Dream Come True," "Never Stop," and "Stay This Way" -- all from that album -- featured Davenport on lead vocals and became hit singles in the U.K., and she went on to appear on <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a>' Brother Sister album (also on Delicious Vinyl) in 1994. But after that, Davenport left the band to pursue a solo career -- something she had been wanting to pursue all along -- and when <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">the Brand New Heavies</a> recorded Shelter for Delicious Vinyl in 1997, <a href="spotify:artist:7EVlecngyrLHfQUqFMpwkT">Siedah Garrett</a> (an American singer who was known for her work with <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm">Michael Jackson</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3rxIQc9kWT6Ueg4BhnOwRK">Quincy Jones</a>) served as their female lead singer. Davenport's first solo album, a self-titled release, came out on the V2 label in 1998; "Bring It On," "Bullshittin'," and "Underneath a Red Moon" were all released as singles. The late '90s found Davenport touring extensively as a solo artist; her solo tours offered a variety of <a href="spotify:artist:3DEveX6KVzhPDqq2VRuN14">Brand New Heavies</a> favorites and material from her first album. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi