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.
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 Billboards 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.
Background
In the late-1980s, Oakland-based production and songwriting duo Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy were looking for singers to sing on their 1988 compilation project FM2 for Atlantic Records. During the audition process, they conceived the idea of a modern-day girl trio in the tradition of The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Ronettes and other commercially successful female bands which had flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Foster and McElroy envisioned an entertainment unit with interchangeable but not identical parts in which every member would qualify to take the lead on any given number. Thus, their plan was to recruit singers who possessed strong voices, noticeably good looks, and intelligence. Approximately 3000 women attended the auditions held in 1988, with Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones making the final cut. Originally conceived as a trio, Foster and McElroy decided to create a quartet after hearing Terry Ellis audition whose plane had been late from Houston, Texas. At first, they selected the band name 4-U but soon shifted to Vogue, ultimately settling on En Vogue, upon learning that another group had already claimed the Vogue moniker.
Critical reception
Born to Sing received generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for AllMusic, Jose F. Promis rated the album four stars out five, calling the work "a winner" though remarking that he felt tracks such as "Just Can't Stay Away" and "Part of Me" were duds. Los Angeles Times writer Dennis Hunt found that "unlike most female groups, these four R&B singers can really sing– and do some passable rapping too [...] En Vogue admirably performs a batch of mostly well-crafted ballads and medium-tempo songs. Grating, dissonant vocal blends do spoil a few otherwise strong songs." BBC Music's Daryl Easlea called Born to Sing "immediate and infectious. The group's vocal blend and succulent choice of songs was designed for maximum commerciality, a silky antidote to the gangsta rap that was then so prevalent in the US."