Angie Stone

Angie Stone grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, where she sang in her grandmother's church choir as a child. That gospel background stayed with her, even as she began absorbing the R&B and funk sounds that would shape her own music later on.

Her voice first reached a wider audience in the mid-1990s when she appeared on D'Angelo's debut album 'Brown Sugar.' A few years later, she released her own first album, 'Black Diamond,' in 1999. The single 'No More Rain (In This Cloud)' became her breakout hit, a soul track that showcased her warm, lived-in vocal style.

She followed that with albums like 'Mahogany Soul' in 2001 and 'Stone Love' in 2004, working with artists like Erykah Badu and Jill Scott along the way. Songs like 'Wish I Didn't Miss You' and 'Proud Of Me' became staples of her catalog, balancing classic soul grooves with personal, direct lyrics.