Outfitted as a defiant prizefighter at the end of its jittery, hypercolored music video, Williams raises her gloves in victory both visual and musical as if to say, “you wanted me gone, but I’m not going anywhere.”įor the second single, Mercury released the album’s paradisiacal title track. Williams gives heavy attitude on the bridge before turning “I Can’t Stop” by John Davis and the Monster Orchestra into a funky dance break. Its passionate, catchy chorus zips on a rhythmic track. The first operative was to make people dance, which the velocitous lead single “Running Back To You” (#1 R&B for 2 weeks, Pop #18) achieved quickly. Now seeing her versatility, Mercury knew there weren’t many areas where she couldn’t thrive, so they put her everywhere. This most potent disc of her career was an all-out assault on the marketplace. The Comfort Zone is a precision-crafted tour de force, focused in its intent to present Williams’ talent not just as viable, but undeniable. For her sophomore release, she would analyze everything that worked, and work it even harder. Undaunted by bad business, her RIAA-gold debut LP The Right Stuff (1988) spawned two chart-topping singles (“The Right Stuff,” “Dreamin’”), and earned three GRAMMY nominations including Best New Artist. Producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid confesses in his book Sing To Me that he and Babyface were slated to anchor her first album with a smash called “Girlfriend.” Reid promised the song to Williams for $12,500, but then reneged and gave the song to singer Pebbles who offered $18,000, a Mercedes, a Jaguar-and later, her hand in marriage.Įckstine and Williams were absolutely incensed, but determined to make Williams the star she was meant to be. It reminded me of your dad a little bit: ‘Yeah, go ahead, just don’t wreck the car and don’t spend too much money.’” Even then, Eckstine was getting the runaround from A-list hitmakers. During a 1988 Los Angeles Times interview, Eckstine explained, “When I told (label president) Dick Asher that I wanted to sign Vanessa, he looked at me like I was crazy. No one believed the “beauty queen” could really sing. Williams looked untouchable, but her road wasn’t pre-paved. Public outcry invited her to disappear altogether, but she declined, instead resurfacing with funk forefather George Clinton singing on “Hey Good Lookin’” and “Do Fries Go With That Shake.” Mercury Records exec Ed Eckstine took notice and signed her in 1987. That was before the frothy rage ensuing from those photos published in 1984. When she became the first Black woman to win Miss America, she got death threats. No one was supposed to hear from Vanessa L. Happy 30th Anniversary to Vanessa Williams’ second studio album The Comfort Zone, originally released August 20, 1991.
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