Stephanie grew up in the inner city of Newark, New Jersey and like most of her contemporaries got her start by singing in church. At the tender age of 9, she belted out a stirring rendition of “I Made A Vow” as stunned parishioners listened to her sing. At 15 she wrote her first song, but it wasn’t until 10 years later that she would pen her first non-gospel song. Naturally, her latter influences would never stray far from the former. Stephanie credits Fred Hammond, The Clark Sisters and Marvin Winans as being her greatest influences as a vocalist. Her songwriting influences, however lean more towards Stevie Wonder, Diane Warren, and Babyface.
Stephanie’s professional music career began when she entered a production studio in hope of procuring some studio time as a prize for a talent show she was coordinating. After obtaining an impromptu a cappella session, she was signed to a production deal on the spot. Unfortunately, the following two and a half years of writing and recording went by without the production company releasing one song. As if bred by defiance, her motivation propelled her lifelong dedication to music and songwriting. Determined to make up for lost time, she gathered all her songs and started making cold calls to every publishing company she could find. Before long she was picked up and the following year would yield some dramatic results. Stephanie has since worked as a songwriter with Chanté Moore, Jermaine Dupri (for Aretha Franklin’s “Every Little Bit Hurts”), All-Star, and with Soul Shock and Carlin wrote Shiro’s “I Like”. Additionally she’s worked on remixes for SWV, Changing Faces, The Braxtons with DJ Enuff, and background vocals for the latest Diana Ross album with Malik Pendleton. She’s written “Do You Need” for Tyrese, “Be Mine” for Charlotte, “Are You Ready”, “You’ll Never Find a Love” from Jodie Watley’s “Off the Hook” album, and “I’m Your Lady” for Meeka and has also written for Phaja. Furthermore, on an international level, she wrote the song “Love of Mine” for Japanese R&B diva, Double. In 1997 she wrote and sang 3 songs for “Closer”, an album composed by Japanese producer Shinichi Osawa also known as Mondo Grosso.
To date Stephanie has released four singles on King Street Sounds, three as a solo artist, which include “Excuses”, “Love’s Been Right Here”, as well as “Holding On To your Love”, which she co-produced and was a top 5 single on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music Club Play chart. She has since had numerous incredible songs that include remixes by Masters At Work’s own Li’l Louie Vega, entitled “Here With My Best Friend”, “Everything”, with remixes by 95 North, “I Thank You” remixed by BLAZE & Timmy Regisford as well as Lenny Fontana and her latest “Rain (Let It Come Down” with remixes by Jay-J Hernandez and Dennis Ferrer. Her catalog has certainly been getting lots of worldwide play including Galaxy FM, UK, Radio FMR, France, Radio 1, Norway, and many more. All in all, Stephanie has propelled herself as an artist with her own identity, combining her prowess as an R&B/Gospel songstress alongside the buzz that has already ignited the Dance community. |
