Born to Sing | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 3, 1990 | |||
Recorded | August–December 1989 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | R&B[1] | |||
Length | 50:59 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer |
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En Vogue chronology | ||||
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Singles from Born to Sing | ||||
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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,[2] it was chiefly produced by Foster and McElroy, with additional contribution from Hughie Prince, Don Raye, and former the Independents members Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson, through song covers. 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.
Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented the band's vocal performances and their commercial appeal as well as Foster and McElroy's modern production. It became a commercial success as well. While initial sales were slow, the album reached the top thirty of the US Billboard 200 and was certified 3× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over 3 million copies in the United States. Born to Sing experienced similar success in the United Kingdom and Canada, where it was certified silver and gold respectively.
The album produced four major single releases, including "Lies", "You Don't Have to Worry", and their debut song "Hold On", all of which peaked to number-one on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart. At the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, the full album earned a nomination in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category. Born to Sing also garnered a Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo at the 1991 Soul Train Music Awards, while "Hold On" received the award in the Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo category, and won the Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Single.