Karyn White

Karyn White
Background information
Born	(1965-10-14) October 14, 1965
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	R&B, New jack swing
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, Interior Designer
Years active	1986–1995 2006, 2012-present
Labels	Warner Bros. (1986–1999) KW Entertainment (2011–)

Karyn Layvonne White (born October 14, 1965) is an American R&B singer who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Biography

White was born in Los Angeles to Vivian and Clarence White. She is the youngest of five children. She sang in a church choir and worked as a backing singer, then sang on Jeff Lorber's single "Facts of Love" before signing to Warner Bros. Records.

White married Terry Lewis in 1992 and together they had a daughter, Ashley Nicole and adopted son Brandon. Lewis brought to the marriage children Trey and Chloe.^[1] They eventually divorced in 1999, and she later married producer/musician Bobby G.^{[citation needed]}

Music career

White's self-titled debut album Karyn White was released in 1988. It was produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface and achieved platinum status. Karyn White contained the hit singles "The Way You Love Me", "Secret Rendezvous" (#6 in the U.S., her biggest hit at the time), "Superwoman" and "Love Saw It" a duet with Babyface. White was nominated in the Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist category for the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards.She was also nominated for two Grammy Awards. She became the first female artist to have their first three solo releases hit #1 on the R&B charts.

Her follow-up album was Ritual of Love in 1991. It had songs produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and featured the hit single "Romantic", which hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Other singles from the album include "The Way I Feel About You" (U.S. #12), "Walkin' the Dog," and "Do Unto Me" (the last two did not chart). The photographer and director Matthew Rolston directed the video for the hit single "Romantic". Michael Walls, who was credited as stylist on Ritual of Love, worked with White on the look for the Ritual of Love album sleeve, and three of the music videos released for the album. Walls had the idea for the Chanel inspired pearls and black dress used on the album cover, the french maid look and multiple wardrobe changes for video of "The Way I Feel About You", and the "Walkin' the Dog" video, which was based on a scene from the film Sweet Charity.

Her next album was Make Him Do Right in 1994. The album did not sell well, although she did chart with the singles "Hungah" and the Babyface-penned "Can I Stay With You", which became her final U.S. R&B Top 10 hit in early 1995. "I'd Rather Be Alone", her last chart single to date, peaked at #50 on the same chart later that year.

White left Warner Bros. Records in 1999, and dropped out of the music public eye for many years to start a family.

Recent times

White resides in Rocklin, California, a suburb of Sacramento, and runs a successful interior design and real estate business.^[2] In 2006 she recorded a new album, titled Sista Sista; which was slated for release in 2006, but was shelved. Two tracks, "All I Do" and "Disconnected", were later released on the best of compilation album, Superwoman: The Best of Karyn White. She was also slated to appear on the Soul Train Music Awards in 2009 as a tribute to Babyface Edmonds. However, this performance was canceled when Edmonds and Reid withdrew from the Soul Train ceremony, declining the honor. White released her first album after a seventeen-year break, Carpe Diem, in March 2012.^[3]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

As featured performer

Awards and nominations

See also

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References

External links

• Official website
• Karyn White at AllMusic
• Karyn White at VH1