Wild Orchid | |
---|---|
Also known as | NRG |
Origin | United States |
Genres | R&B, pop, soul |
Years active | 1990–2003 |
Labels | Sony, RCA, Yellow Brick |
Past members |
Wild Orchid was an American girl group consisting of Stacy Ferguson, Stefanie Ridel, and Renee Sandstrom. Beginning under the name "NRG" in 1990, the group changed their name to Wild Orchid in 1992 and signed with RCA Records in 1994. The group released two albums, earning Billboard Music Awards nominations with their debut. In 2001, Ferguson left the group. Sandstrom and Ridel continued as a duo, releasing Wild Orchid's final album Hypnotic in 2003. [1] In 2013, Us Weekly named the group number 18 of the 25 'Best Girl Groups of All Time'. [2]
Wild Orchid began in 1990 when former Kids Incorporated cast members Renee Sandstrom and Stacy Ferguson and their friend Stefanie Ridel decided to form an all-girl group based on their shared love of music and poetry, and they originally called themselves New Rhythm Generation, or NRG. Heather Holyoak soon joined the group and they began searching for a record contract. As they wrote their songs and recorded their first single, entitled "Get Crazy – Work It," the girls also began coming up with choreographies for their music. [3]
In February 1991, NRG gave their first performance in a Los Angeles nightclub. Heather Holyoak returned to college, and was replaced by Micki Duran. [3] In July 1991, NRG performed to a sold-out crowd at a BMI showcase. [3] Their former manager claimed that he owned the rights to the group's name. By 1992, the group changed their name to Wild Orchid and hired Marta Marrero, mother of fellow Kids Incorporated alumna Martika, as their new manager. [3]
Wild Orchid joined forces with several record labels including RCA, EMI, and Capitol, eventually signing with Sony Publishing and RCA Records in 1994. [3] Ron Fair became the group’s A&R rep, eventually co-producing their first album. [4] Duran left the group to work on the Nickelodeon TV show Roundhouse, leaving Wild Orchid as a trio. In 1995, Wild Orchid recorded the theme song for the NBC sitcom Hope & Gloria .
The group's first single "At Night I Pray" charted at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 [5] and on the R&B Singles charts at number 49 in November 1996. [6] A music video directed by Marcus Nispel, known for his work with Janet Jackson, was in heavy rotation on MTV, BET and VH1. [3]
In March 1997, Wild Orchid released their self-titled debut album Wild Orchid . The largely self-written album sold nearly a million units worldwide (including 108,000 units in the U.S. according to SoundScan) and included the singles "Talk to Me", "At Night I Pray" and "Supernatural". "Talk to Me" received two Billboard Music Award nominations in the categories of Best clip and Best new artist clip. [7]
Wild Orchid spent most of 1997 promoting their debut album, making appearances on various TV shows such as Oddville, MTV, [8] The RuPaul Show , [9] Vibe, Mad TV , Soul Train , [10] and The Jenny Jones Show , [11] in addition to a guest appearance on the UPN sitcom Goode Behavior . [12] The group were frequent guest hosts on E!'s The Gossip Show. The trio toured as an opening act for 98 Degrees and 'N Sync across the U.S. [13]
In May 1998, they released dance remixes of their songs "I Won't Play the Fool" and "Follow Me" (from their debut album) which were underground club hits. [14] The "I Won't Play the Fool" remix landed on a Top 10 Dance Remixes Chart of 1998 in Billboard. That same month, they performed at "Divas Simply Singing", an annual AIDS benefit concert in Los Angeles hosted by Sheryl Lee Ralph. [15]
In 1998, Wild Orchid were featured on the song "I Will Show You Mine” on the album Home Again from Dutch singer Rene Froger.
In 1999, the group filmed a pilot presentation as the stars of a television program called Sirens. In the vein of female-driven action programs like Xena: Warrior Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer , they portrayed crime fighting pop singers who were secretly mermaids. The pilot was not picked up to series.
In September 1998, they released their second album, Oxygen, which included the first and only single "Be Mine". [16] The album sold 22,000 copies in the U.S. according to Billboard. The album release coincided with the group's stint as Guess spokespersons and models. They embarked on a brief promotional tour throughout the U.S., continued to host on E!'s The Gossip Show, and performed "Be Mine" on Donny and Marie . [17]
That month, Wild Orchid debuted as hosts of the Fox Family Channel's Saturday morning show Great Pretenders, which featured chart hits lip-synched by young kids, while competing for prizes. [18] This show lasted four seasons, from 1998 to 2001.
In February 1999, the group performed "Declaration" and "Come As You Are" at the fictional Peach Pit After Dark during the ninth season of the FOX primetime soap drama Beverly Hills, 90210 (episode titled "Beheading St. Valentine"). [19]
In summer 1999, they opened for Cher's Do You Believe? Tour alongside Cyndi Lauper, which toured at 52 cities across the U.S. and Canada. [18] For a period in 1999, there were rumors of the group re-recording songs for a re-release of their Oxygen album, due to poor sales of the original version. A remixed version of their ballad "Come As You Are" was leaked onto the Internet, but a reworked Oxygen was never officially released.
In November 1999, the group appeared in the Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Parade where they sang a two-minute clip of their song "25 Days Of Christmas". [20]
Between 1999 and 2000, the group worked on their third album Fire , which included several tracks co-written and produced by JC Chasez of *NSYNC. [21] The album was slated for an August 2000 release according to Billboard, however the release date was eventually pushed back to June 2001. The track "It's All Your Fault", which was slated to be on Fire, was featured in the 2000 film What Women Want , but was not included on the film soundtrack. [22]
In May 2001, the group released the first single from their album Fire, called "Stuttering (Don't Say)", which reached #33 on the Billboard Top 40 Singles Sales chart, and had a concert special on MuchUSA called Shoutback on July 29, 2001. [23] They also became models for Bongo Jeans. [24] The group co-wrote the song "What's Good 4 the Goose", which appeared on pop group Eden's Crush debut album Popstars (2001). Wild Orchid went on a U.S. promotional tour for Fire between May and July 2001, where they performed mainly in clubs and small venues with other teen-pop acts.
The newer release date for Fire was shifted to June 5, 2001, then eventually June 19; however their record label RCA ultimately declined to release it. This event marked the beginning of the end of Wild Orchid as a trio. On July 19, 2001, the group performed their last concert together at Sea World in San Diego. [3] On July 24, 2001, they filmed their final episode of Great Pretenders, and the show was cancelled ten days later upon the announcement that Fox Family Channel was merging with Disney-owned ABC. [3]
In September 2001, the group was dropped from RCA, and Ferguson left Wild Orchid. [25]
Between 2002 and 2003, Wild Orchid returned as a duo with Sandstrom and Ridel. [3] Their album Hypnotic was released on the group's website in January 2003, and reportedly sold 5000 copies online. On September 26, 2006, Talk To Me: Hits, Rarities & Gems was released by Sony BMG Special Products. [3] It is fundamentally a greatest-hits package, featuring previously released songs from Wild Orchid and Oxygen in addition to the only released single from Fire, "Stuttering (Don't Say)" and its B-side, "Lies".
On May 28, 2001, Minneapolis-based radio station KDWB hosted a concert which featured both Wild Orchid and hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas. [26] It was during this event that Stacy Ferguson met will.i.am, spoke to him about producing her solo album, and exchanged phone numbers with him. [26] In 2002, she joined the Black Eyed Peas under the stage name 'Fergie.'
Renee Sandstrom is now primarily a session singer for children's music. In 2004, she provided the singing voice for 'Princess Fiona' in the Shrek 2 special feature Far Far Away Idol. [4] Her vocals have been featured on several Disney albums, including Mousercise (2007), Disney Cuties (2008), the Camp Rock soundtrack (2008), and Playhouse Disney Let's Dance (2010). In 2007, she sang with Ruben Martinez in "Just Like We Dreamed It", which was the theme song for the 15th anniversary of Disneyland Resort Paris. [27] The song was released as a single exclusively in France on March 31, 2007. Sandstrom wrote the music for the song "On Penguin Pond", featured on the Volume One soundtrack for Jim Henson Company's Sid the Science Kid (2009).
Stefanie Ridel co-founded the Talent Bootcamp, in which she teaches young aspiring musical artists. [28] Between 2004 and 2005, Ridel was the lead singer for the techno-dance duo '5th Element' with DJ Rain, and their album was released exclusively online on DJ Rain's website. Ridel's singing voice was heard on the Bratz: The Movie soundtrack (2007), in which she sang the lead on two songs and co-wrote and co-produced many others. Ridel is married to former Wild Orchid producer and Geffen Records president Ron Fair. They have four children together. [28]
Year | Title | Album | Hot 100 | Sales | Top 40 | R&B | Canada |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | "At Night I Pray" | Wild Orchid | 63 | – | 29 | 67 | 29 |
1997 | "Talk to Me" | Wild Orchid | 48 | 10 | 31 | 85 | 38 |
1997 | "Supernatural" | Wild Orchid | 70 | – | – | – | – |
1998 | "Be Mine" | Oxygen | 103 | – | – | – | – |
2001 | "Stuttering (Don't Say)" | Fire | – | – | 33 | – | – |
Year | Title | Album |
---|---|---|
1996 | "At Night I Pray" | Wild Orchid |
1996 | "At Night I Pray (Director Version)" | Wild Orchid |
1996 | "Merry Kris-Mix" | - |
1997 | "Talk to Me" | Wild Orchid |
1997 | "Talk to Me" | Wild Orchid |
1997 | "Supernatural" | Wild Orchid |
1997 | "Supernatural (Remix) (featuring K-Borne)" | Wild Orchid |
1998 | "Be Mine" | Oxygen |
Year | Result | Award | Category | Work |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Nominated | Billboard Music Award [7] | Best Clip – Dance | "Talk to Me" |
Nominated | Billboard Music Award | Best New Artist Clip – Dance | "Talk to Me" | |
Stacy Ann "Fergie" Ferguson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman who was a member of the hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas from 2002 to 2018, during which they released four studio albums.
Westlife are an Irish pop group formed in Dublin in 1998. The group consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reunited in 2018.
Christina Aguilera is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Christina Aguilera. It was released on August 24, 1999, by RCA Records. After recording "Reflection", the theme song for the 1998 Disney film Mulan, RCA laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which they originally decided would have a January 1999 release. Primarily a dance-pop and teen pop album, its music incorporates bubblegum pop, R&B, soul, hip hop, as well as ballads. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Johan Åberg, David Frank, Ron Fair, Guy Roche, Robin Thicke, Matthew Wilder and Aaron Zigman.
Aaron Dupree Tippin is an American country music singer, songwriter and record producer. Initially a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, he gained a recording contract with RCA Nashville in 1990. His debut single, "You've Got to Stand for Something" became a popular anthem for American soldiers fighting in the Gulf War and helped to establish him as a neotraditionalist country act with songs that catered primarily to the American working class. Under RCA's tenure, he recorded five studio albums and a Greatest Hits package. Tippin switched to Lyric Street Records in 1998, where he recorded four more studio albums, counting a compilation of Christmas music. After leaving Lyric Street in 2006, he founded a personal label known as Nippit Records, on which he issued the compilation album Now & Then. A concept album, In Overdrive, was released in 2009.
Connie Smith is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity has been noted between her vocal style and the stylings of country vocalist Patsy Cline. Other performers have cited Smith as influence on their own singing styles, which has been reflected in quotes and interviews over the years.
My Kind of Christmas is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on October 24, 2000, by RCA Records. The album was recorded from late 1999 to mid 2000, while Aguilera was touring to promote her first two albums: Christina Aguilera (1999) and Mi Reflejo (2000). My Kind of Christmas contains cover versions of Christmas standards, such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Angels We Have Heard on High", as well as several original recordings, which incorporate dance-pop elements. The album was produced by Ron Fair, the Matrix, Robbie Buchanan, Barry Harris and Chris Cox.
Wild Orchid is the self-titled debut studio album by American band Wild Orchid, released in March 1997. It is their most successful album. The album was nominated for two Lady of Soul Awards.
Oxygen is the second album by American group Wild Orchid, released in 1998. Since its release, the album has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide.
Renee Ilene Sandstrom, known professionally as Renee Sands is an American singer and former child actress. She is best known for her role as Renee on Kids Incorporated, and as a vocal member of the American girl group Wild Orchid.
"Reflection" is a song written and produced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel for the soundtrack of Disney's 1998 animated film Mulan. In the film, the song is performed by Tony Award winner, Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan. An accompanying music video for "Reflection" was included as a bonus to the Disney Gold Classic Collection DVD release of the film in February 2000. Reflection has received highly positive reviews, with critics highlighting its emotional writing and Salonga's vocals.
Ronald Fair is an American record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. A traditional record producer since 1970, Fair has been credited with orchestral production work on several commercially successful pop and R&B songs.
Let's Dance is the third studio album by Australian pop singer, Nikki Webster, released on 21 June 2004 by BMG/Gotham Records. It is an album which found Webster working with a different style of music, a range of dance music was added. It peaked at number forty-six on the ARIA Albums Chart.
This Crazy Life is the debut studio album by American singer Joanna Pacitti, more commonly known as Joanna. The singles from this album are "Let It Slide" and "Screaming Infidelities". One of Pacitti's songs, "Ultraviolet" was featured on the Girl Next compilation album. It was also covered by the Stiff Dylans for the movie soundtrack of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. One of the songs from the album "Just When You're Leaving" was included on the album "Chelsea Mix" which was released to promote the My Scene dolls.
Dance Revolution is the debut and only album from American girl group, The Slumber Party Girls. It was released on October 3, 2006 by Geffen Records.
Robert Gordon was an American rockabilly singer.
"Finally" is a song recorded by American singer Fergie for her debut studio album The Dutchess (2006). It was written by Fergie, Stefanie Ridel, and John Legend, with Legend producing the track alongside Ron Fair. The song was released as the sixth and final single from The Dutchess on February 24, 2008, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group.
Fire was the unreleased third album by Wild Orchid. The album was meant to be released on June 19, 2001, but was shelved after the group was dropped by RCA Records. This would've been the group's final release with Stacy Ferguson.
Stefanie Jill Ridel is an American singer and actress. She was a member of the girl group Wild Orchid, and was a co-host of the television show Great Pretenders.
NSYNC is an American vocal group and boy band that was formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. The group consists of Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and JC Chasez. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to European countries in 1997, and later debuted in the U.S. market with the single "I Want You Back".
Pentatonix are an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, consisting of vocalists Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Matt Sallee, and Kevin Olusola. Characterized by their pop-style arrangements with vocal harmonies, scat singing, riffing, vocal percussion, and beatboxing, they produce cover versions of modern pop works or Christmas songs, sometimes in the form of medleys, along with original material. Pentatonix was formed in 2011 and subsequently won the third season of NBC's The Sing-Off, receiving $200,000 and a recording contract with Sony Music. When Sony's Epic Records dropped the group after The Sing-Off, the group launched its YouTube channel, distributing its music through Madison Gate Records, a label owned by Sony Pictures.