| Dawn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | January 29, 2002 |
| Recorded | 2001 |
| Genre | R&B |
| Length | 45:38 |
| Label | |
| Producer |
|
| Singles from Dawn | |
| |
Dawn is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Dawn Robinson. It was released on January 29, 2002, by LeftSide Entertainment and Q Records, while distribution was handled by Atlantic Records. The album was released five years after her departure from En Vogue and roughly a year after leaving Lucy Pearl. Dawn includes the single "Envious".
Following her departure from En Vogue in 1997, Robinson began work on her solo career, appearing as a featured vocalist on The Firm's hit single "Firm Biz" that year. In 1999, she joined the group Lucy Pearl and recorded an album with them.
In 2001, she signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records and started work on her debut solo album. However, she would leave the label before completing it. Soon after, she signed with Atlantic Records and started work on her album now titled Dawn. She contributed to the FB Entertainment compilation with the song "Set It Off" which received positive notices. It would later be included on her album. Eventually, seven songs she wrote/co-wrote made it to the album. Featured producers/songwriters on the album would include Travon Potts, Ivan Barrios, Carvin Haggins, Pajam, Kenni Ski, Christopher Warrior.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Billboard | (favorable) [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B [3] |
| People | (favorable) [4] |
| PopMatters | (mixed) [5] |
| Slant | [6] |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the album "a bouncy, feel-good R&B affair" that "oozes with attitude, street savvy, and rich urban flavor." She found that "funkified arrangements – with tasty acoustic and electric guitar stylings – and dance floor appeal, combined with Robinson's sassy, soul-inspired vocals, make this a winning solo effort." [1] He gave the album three out of five stars. [1] In his review for Slant magazine, writer Sal Cinquemani declared the "fashionable mix of neo-soul, gooey R&B balladry and trendy hip-pop" as "too prepackaged and trend-conscious to reach the heights of her previous collaborations." He felt that "while the album confirms that Robinson was indeed En Vogue’s most distinctive voice," Dawn "seems jailed within the confines of current R&B trends." [6] People magazine commented that while the album "won’t make anyone forget En Vogue, Robinson pipes up with a gratifying if not groundbreaking set of contemporary R&B. Although her sassy, sturdy vocals lift even the more banal ballads, Robinson really shines." [4]
David Browne from Entertainment Weekly felt divided, writing that "at its most shimmering, the long-in-the-works solo debut from the former En Vogue and Lucy Pearl diva incorporates the best of both acts. The R&B effortlessly shoop-shoops with simmering beats and the occasional raw guitar and Robinson’s stance is more aggressive. But at its limpest, Dawn is merely a thinking man’s Mariah Carey album." [3] Billboard , who called Dawn one of "R&B music's most anticipated debuts," was surprised of the uptempo material on the album and wrote that "the collection gives Robinson the platform to make the kind of record she's always wanted to make." [2] Wendy Robinson, writing for PopMatters, found that while Dawn "offers a confident and eclectic collection" of songs, "the problem is that the album tries so hard to defy definition that it fails to be distinctive." Positive with Robinson's performances though, she added: "Dawn will be a welcome addition to the CD collection of anyone who loves vocal music. With this CD, as with her past projects, you get the sense that Dawn Robinson will always embrace the opportunity to experiment. She's willing to try new things and put her name on the line as she searches for songs that work." [5]
A commercial disappointment, Dawn failed to enter both the US Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It however debuted and peaked at number 22 on Billboard 's Heatseekers Albums chart for the week of February 16, 2002, and reached number 50 on the New Zealand Albums Chart. [7] The set's first and only single "Envious" was released to radio on September 18, 2001, [8] with a music video premiering on BET. It received moderate airplay and peaked at number 99 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, number 42 on the Hot Singles Sales, and number 41 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart. [9]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Set It Off" |
| Allstar | 4:43 |
| 2. | "Still" |
| Warrior | 4:03 |
| 3. | "Party, Party" |
| Carvin & Ivan | 3:55 |
| 4. | "Get Up Again" |
| Carvin & Ivan | 4:59 |
| 5. | "Envious" |
|
| 3:52 |
| 6. | "Meaning of a Woman" |
| Ski | 3:44 |
| 7. | "I Don't Know Why" | Travon Potts | Potts | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Fed Up" | PAJAM | 3:23 | |
| 9. | "Our Child" |
| Ski | 4:30 |
| 10. | "How Long" |
| Ski | 2:48 |
| 11. | "Read It In My Eyes" |
| Potts | 4:56 |
| 12. | "You Will Never" | Potts | Potts | 3:20 |
Notes
| Chart (2002) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| scope="row" | US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [10] | 22 |
| scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [11] | 50 |
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hold On", taken from their 1990 debut album Born to Sing. The group's 1992 follow-up album Funky Divas reached the top 10 in both the US and UK, and included their second US number two hit "My Lovin' " as well as the US top 10 hits "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" and "Free Your Mind".
Funky Divas is the second studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released by Atlantic Records division East West on March 24, 1992 in the United States. Conceived after the success of their Grammy Award–nominated debut album Born to Sing (1990), En Vogue reteamed with their founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy to work on the entire album. As with Born to Sing, the pair borrowed from contemporary R&B, new jack swing, and hip hop, while also incorporating classic soul, blues and doo-wop elements, particularly on its on two Sparkle cover versions, as well as, in the case of "Free Your Mind," heavy metal sounds.
Dawn Sherrese Robinson is an American singer best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Following her departure from En Vogue, Robinson joined Lucy Pearl and released their self-titled debut album Lucy Pearl in 2000, which went platinum worldwide and produced the successful singles "Dance Tonight" and "Don't Mess with My Man".
Lucy Pearl was an American R&B supergroup formed in 1999. The group was composed of Raphael Saadiq, Dawn Robinson, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.
Terry Ellis is an American singer. She is best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue which formed in 1989.
Maxine Jones, is an American singer best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. She sang lead vocals on the group's signature singles "My Lovin' " and "Don't Let Go (Love)", both of which garnered international success and sold over a million copies. Throughout her career, Jones has sold over 20 million records with En Vogue. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including two American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, four MTV Video Music Awards, and four Soul Train Music Awards.
"My Lovin' " is a song by American pop/R&B group En Vogue, released in March 1992 as the lead single from their multi-platinum second album, Funky Divas (1992). The single reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their joint highest-peaking single on the chart alongside "Hold On" and "Don't Let Go (Love)", and it peaked atop the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for two weeks. Internationally, the song reached number four in the United Kingdom and peaked within the top 10 on the charts of Canada, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Born to Sing is the debut studio album by American vocal group En Vogue. It was released by Atlantic Records on April 3, 1990, in the United States. Conceived after their contribution to band founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy's 1988 compilation project FM2 for Atlantic, it was chiefly produced by Foster and McElroy, with additional contribution coming from Hughie Prince, Don Raye, and former The Independents members Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson. Musically, Born to Sing contains a range of contemporary genres, blending a mix of soft hip hop soul, pop, contemporary early-1990s R&B, rap, and new jack swing.
Soul Flower is the sixth studio album by the American recording group En Vogue. Released through 33rd Street and Funkigirl Records and distributed by Bayside Entertainment on February 24, 2004 in the United States, the album marked the band's debut with the label as well as their first full-length release to feature vocals by new band member Rhona Bennett who had joined remaining founding members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron the year before following the departure of Amanda Cole, resulting into the partial re-recording of several songs on Soul Flower that Cole had originally lent her voice to.
"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Chicago-/Philly-soul style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976 version by Aretha Franklin from the film's soundtrack, and a 1992 cover by girl group En Vogue.
"Don't Let Go (Love)" is a song by American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Ivan Matias, Andrea Martin, and Marqueze Etheridge, and produced by Organized Noize for the Set It Off soundtrack (1996), also appearing on the group's third album, EV3 (1997). The song was the group’s last single and music video to feature member Dawn Robinson and was En Vogue's biggest international single, making it to the top 10 in several countries. According to Billboard, the single ranked as the 83rd most successful single of the 1990s.
"Whatever" is a song by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Keith Andes, and Giuliano Franco for the group’s third studio album, EV3 (1997), while production was helmed by Edmonds, featuring additional production by Franco. Selected and released as the album's second single, it was the final single from EV3 to precede the release of its parent album. A moderate success, it reached the top ten in Canada and on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking within the top twenty in Finland, the United Kingdom and on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Whatever" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over 500,000 units.
"Too Gone, Too Long" is a song by American R&B vocal group En Vogue. Written by Diane Warren and produced by longtime collaborator David Foster, it was recorded for their third album, EV3 (1997). A power ballad that blends pop and contemporary R&B elements, it was selected as the album's third and final single and reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked within the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart and became the group's final top twenty hit there.
"Riddle" is a song recorded by American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, along with band members Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Terry Ellis, for their fourth studio album Masterpiece Theater (2000), while production was helmed by Foster & McElroy. An angry mid-tempo song about a sneaking, cheating lover, "Riddle" is built around a clapping game motif, and interpolates the band's 1992 song "My Lovin' ." Lyrically, it has the protagonist revealing her feelings about discovering that her love interest is having an affair with someone else over the course of the week.
EV3 is the third studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was released by East West Records on June 17, 1997, in the United States. Recorded after a lengthy break during which the group members became mothers or established solo careers, the album was En Vogue's first project to include a diverse roster of collaborators including credits from Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Organized Noize along with regular contributors Foster & McElroy. It marked their first album without Dawn Robinson, who decided to leave the group late into the recording of EV3 in favor of a solo recording contract, prompting the remaining trio to re-record much of the material for the album.
Masterpiece Theatre is the fourth studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released worldwide by Elektra Records on May 23, 2000. It marked the band's debut with Elektra, as well as their only release following their departure from longtime label Eastwest Records. Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones worked exclusively with regular collaborators Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy on the album who made heavy use of samples from classical music and traditional pop music to construct songs for Masterpiece Theatre, with its title alluding to the same-titled American drama anthology television series, best known for presenting adaptations of a mix of contemporary and classic novels and biographies.
Jake & the Phatman is an American record production and songwriting duo, composed of multi-instrumentalists Glenn Standridge and Robert C. "Bobby" Ozuna Jr. They won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards in 2003.
This is the discography of American pop/R&B quartet En Vogue who began their career in early 1990s. Their discography includes seven studio albums, two EPs, 28 singles—four as featured artists, and 21 music videos on their former record labels Atlantic, East West, Elektra, Discretion, and 33rd Street.
"Envious" is the debut solo single by R&B singer-songwriter Dawn Robinson. The song was written Robinson, Kowan "Q" Paul, Milton Davis, and Amber Jade Young, produced by Kowan Paul. The song was composed for Robinson's debut solo album, Dawn. Atlantic Records released "Envious" on November 20, 2001, as the album's lead single.
American singer Dawn Robinson has released one album, four singles, and one music video, along with various non-single guest appearances.