In a warehouse studio, Cindy Herron Braggs, points a defiant finger in the air, Maxine Jones sashays across the floor, and Terry Ellis belts out a refrain about lost love.
The scene is repeated over and over, as they tweak a note here or a gesture there trying to get their harmonies and steps just so.
It’s crunch time for the ladies of En Vogue who are preparing for the launch next month (the tour begins Oct. 11 in Fresno) of their first world tour in four years, tentatively called “Funky Divas in 3D.”
Getting three distinct personalities to agree on the details of staging, lighting, music–and especially hair, wardrobe and makeup for their highly stylized look–is difficult enough.
But this time, with the sudden departure early this year of Dawn Robinson, the former quartet is adapting its stage act to accommodate its new status as a trio.
And as for Jones and Herron Braggs, this upcoming tour will include an additional burden–the pressure of juggling motherhood with the road.
“I don’t like the road life and the rehearsal process. It takes me away from my home life,” said Herron Braggs, referring to her husband, former Cincinnati Reds left fielder Glenn Braggs, and their 3-year-old son, Donovan.
“But I’m starting to get excited,” she added. “We want the lights and the theatrics to be so brilliant–we just don’t want the audience to get bored. We want people to come away saying, `Wow, that was a spectacular show.’ “
Though the itinerary has yet to be finalized, En Vogue’s management company says the group tentatively is planning to play Chicago in late October.
The stakes are particularly high because this time En Vogue will be the headliner.
The tour is intended to boost sales of “EV3,” which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard chart in June, but quickly dropped out of the Top 10. The CD includes “Don’t Let Go (Love)” from the “Set It Off” soundtrack, which peaked at No. 2 on the pop charts early this year, as well as their latest releases “Whatever” and “Too Gone, Too Long.”
When the CD was released, fans were taken aback by the cover shot of three women–not four–posing seductively on a sofa. The departure of Robinson seemed sudden because she had sung lead on “Don’t Let Go (Love),” their biggest hit to date, and had performed with the group on the “Soul Train Awards” show just last winter.
According to the remaining three, Robinson signed a deal with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records to record a solo album about the time when the group was recording “EV3.” As part of their contract with Elektra Records, the women can participate in outside projects as long as they don’t interfere with the group. In fact, Ellis released a solo album, “Southern Gal,” during the group’s three-year hiatus.
The timing of Robinson’s deal, though, caused a major conflict. Elektra Entertainment Group CEO Sylvia Rhone, who served as executive producer for “EV3” along with En Vogue, was revving up for a promotions blitz, capitalizing on the success of “Don’t Let Go (Love).” She wanted group members to make a two-year commitment for TV appearances and other promotional spots. Jones, Ellis and Herron Braggs signed on, but Robinson hesitated.
She wanted to stay in the group. But because she could only devote one year to it, she reluctantly left. Robinson’s departure caused a quick shuffling. The solos that she sang for the record had to be re-recorded.
“For us, it was abrupt,” said Ellis.
“We sat down to make plans for the project, and Dawn felt it wasn’t going to coincide with what she wanted to do. Quite naturally we felt, `What are we going to do now? How are our fans going to take this? Are they going to like us?”
Said Jones, “We did contemplate replacing her. But having another person come in felt weirder. To have someone else come in didn’t seem right.”
It was a potentially ugly episode that the women say they managed to contain.
Herron Braggs said she believes Robinson may have had hard feelings because “she couldn’t see where we were coming from in choosing to make a commitment.” Herron Braggs said she recently called Robinson to smooth things over. The other women said they haven’t talked with her since she left, though they did publicly thank her for her contributions when they received a “Soul Train Lady of Soul Award” early this month for “Don’t Let Go (Love).”
Robinson has declined to comment on the matter.
En Vogue was assembled in 1990 by producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy. Foster and McElroy, formerly of the 1980s R&B-funk group Club Nouveau, had conceptualized a 1990s version of the Supremes with a new twist: Instead of one star and two background singers, they wanted four women who all were talented and charismatic enough to handle lead vocals.
Robinson, Jones, Ellis and Herron Braggs, who didn’t know one another, won the jobs.
But because the group was manufactured, the En Vogue members, much like the Spice Girls today, weren’t taken seriously.
“We were (Foster and McElroy’s) baby project,” said Herron Braggs. “They controlled us. They didn’t want us making stupid mistakes.”
The initial concept, as the name implies, was fashion. They have drawn from the collections of Versace, Gucci and Armani and have collaborated with the top makeup artists and hair stylists to create their ever-evolving look.
The ultimate no-no is to be seen in the same outfit twice. “It gets to be a pain and very costly,” admitted Ellis.
Yet the group quickly won respect because the members sound as good as they look. Their intricate vocal arrangements and harmonies rival those of sister groups such as the Emotions and Pointer Sisters. Nominated five times for a Grammy Award (but never winners), the group has won the American Music Award and several “Soul Train” awards.
They’re also known for their provocative videos, three of which won MTV awards.
Now the group has considerably more artistic freedom than ever before. Under a new contract that the group recently signed with Elektra and Two Tuff E-Nuff Songs, Foster and McElroy’s production company, the women for the first time have more control over a range of decisions, from the merchandising of their image, to the hiring of directors for their videos, to selecting outside producers for their albums.
Besides Foster and McElroy, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Ivan Matias and Andrea Martin produced tracks for “EV3,” which includes hip-hop, rock, ballads, funk and a country and western tune.
The selection of one song, though, sparked an open dispute in the group.
Though Herron Braggs loved the music and Ellis’ searing vocals on “Damn I Wanna Be Your Lover,” she was vehemently opposed to the song’s title and message of sex outside of marriage.
Herron Braggs, a born-again Christian, pressed writers-producers Martin and Matias to change the title and lyrics. One minor change was made: The phrase “Tonight, let’s do wrong” was changed to “Tonight, let’s move on.” But Rhone, the production team as well as the other women in the group thought the song was hot and would suffer if radically altered.
Overruled, Herron Braggs opted not to sing on the song. Robinson, who had recorded the song before she departed, shared background harmonies with Jones.
“An out-of-marriage sexual affair wasn’t my place to sing,” she said, adding that her colleagues thought she was over-reacting. “A lot of teens will follow the message and I didn’t want to be in a position of leading kids astray.”
While they love their careers, Ellis, Herron Braggs and Jones treasure their private lives. Out of the limelight, they are casual and down-to-earth, a stark contrast to their glamorous personae in videos. Still, they are just as striking if only in overalls and no makeup.
They shun the Hollywood scene, preferring the company of real people. “I just like to be me,” said Ellis. “Me is being with family and friends.”
Ellis, 31, is the comedian of the group, often making up characters such as “The Valley Girl.” She likes to make crafts, such as pillows, and has developed a fragrance that will be introduced this fall.
Herron Braggs, 31, is a health and fitness buff. She likes spending time with her husband and son in their hilltop home and singing at her church.
Jones, 32, is described as nurturing and earthy. She spends her off time at a store she recently opened in the Bay area, where she makes and sells soaps and bath oils, and with her 19-month-old daughter, Jessica. Like many working mothers, she and Herron Braggs have tried setting strict time limits so that work won’t encroach so much on family time.
“Motherhood brings me way back down to earth,” Jones said. “I’m not so focused on me. My daughter keeps me totally busy and occupied and keeps my mind off this crazy business.
