Seduction (group)

Seduction
Origin New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1988–1991
Labels A&M
Past members Idalis DeLeón
Maria Flora
April Harris
Sinoa Loren
Eunice Quiñones
Michelle Visage

Seduction was an American female dance-pop, house and freestyle trio from New York assembled and produced by Robert Clivillés and David Cole (later of C+C Music Factory), originally consisting of members April Harris (born March 25, 1967), Michelle Visage (born September 20, 1968) and Idalis DeLeón (born June 15, 1969).

History

Originally intended as a studio project, and prior to any assemblage of the aforementioned trio, the first track produced, "Seduction" (later renamed "Seduction's Theme" on their album), featured vocals by Carol Cooper, and was released to dance clubs and became a top 20 hit on the dance charts. The second single, "(You're My One and Only) True Love" featured uncredited vocals by Martha Wash. Against its producers' expectations, it ended up becoming a hit. Envisioning a potential hit phenomenon, Cole and Clivillés set to the task of assembling a group of girls who displayed talent, sex appeal, and multiformat potential. Visage, DeLeon and Harris were assembled as a group to promote the single.

The group quickly recorded the album Nothing Matters Without Love and subsequent singles. Their biggest hit came in early 1990 with "Two to Make It Right" (featuring April and Michelle on Lead Vocals), a No. 2 pop hit. The hit Music Video was created and produced by the production team of Director Stu Sleppin and Producer Bob Teeman. In mid–1990 DeLeon left the group and was replaced by Sinoa Loren (born December 6, 1966). After a pair of hits with this line-up, the group disbanded in 1991. Harris owns the rights to the name Seduction and reassembled the group with two new members, Maria Flora and Eunice Quiñones, (Miss New York Latina 2006), and released an album of new material, Feel Brand New, through AVH Entertainment (her own label) under the name Seduction in 2005.

Alumnae and further works

  • DeLeón went on to become a prominent MTV VJ as well as an actress on TV shows such as Living Single, Six Feet Under, Nip Tuck, Burn Notice and feature films like Running Scared and Vicious Circle. Today she runs an entertainment-related website where she coaches clients to brand their act through precision on camera performance coaching and career brand media strategy.
  • Michelle Visage performed guest vocals on the single "Crash" by Freestyle act TKA, as well as the single "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day" by C+C Music Factory alter-ego The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. from the soundtrack to the Whitney Houston film The Bodyguard. Visage later co-hosted a VH1 talk show, The RuPaul Show with RuPaul, and eventually went on to become a popular on-air personality for New York radio station WKTU. In 2005, Visage joined the morning show "The Morning Mix" on WNEW-FM "Mix 102.7" FM. While working at 102.7, Visage held a monthlong contest called "Singing With Seduction" where she picked two lucky winners to perform backup with her as Seduction at a summer music festival. Since January 2011, she has been the second permanent panel judge on the popular reality television series RuPaul's Drag Race which airs on the VH1 cable television network.
  • April Harris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University’s School of Communication. She has performed principal roles in the following plays: Dreamgirls (National Tour), Wicked Ways (National Tour), Smokey Joe’s Café (National Tour), Footloose (National Tour), Ain’t Misbehavin' (National Tour), The Wiz, and Medea and Beehive. She toured internationally with her all-female band (Koffee), being featured on the BET Soundstage Tour, Blackapalooza Tour, and the U2/Kelis European Tour. In 2004, April established AVH Entertainment, LLC, a music and television production company. Current projects in development include a television show geared towards teens.
  • Singer and actress Sinoa Loren went on to perform for two movie soundtracks on Universal: Carlito's Way (1993) and The Shadow (1994). Her songs were "Pillow Talk", a remake of the classic 1970s hit, and "Some Kind of Mystery" (written by Diane Warren and produced by Jellybean Benitez). Sinoa has also written and recorded several dance songs played throughout South America and Mexico. She is currently working with SKY, an original group performing a tribute to Seduction, along with original songs. Along with Sinoa, SKY is made up of Karmine Alers and Yassmin Alers.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[1]		 US
R&B
[1]		 CAN
[2]		 NZ
[3]
1989 Nothing Matters Without Love
  • Release date: September 25, 1989
  • Label: Vendetta
 36 28 48 37
2004 Feel Brand New
  • Release date: September 21, 2004
  • Label: AVH Entertainment
 — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Remix albums

Year Album details
1990 The Re-Mixes
  • Released: November 21, 1990
  • Label: A&M

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[1]		 US Dan
[1]		 US R&B
[1]		 CAN
[2]		 FRA
[5]		 GER
[6]		 NZ
[3]		 UK
[7]
1989 "Seduction" — 17 — — — — — 87 Nothing Matters Without Love
"(You're My One and Only) True Love" 23 3 56 — — — — 92
"Two to Make It Right" 2 1 — 10 34 43 17 79
1990 "Heartbeat" 13 2 21 47 — — 23 75
"Free Your Body" — — — — — — — Non-album song
"Could This Be Love" 11 — 38 36 — — — — Nothing Matters Without Love
"Breakdown" 82 4 — — — — — —
"Groove Me" — — — — — — — The Re-Mixes
2003 "All Night Long" (with Saddler) — — 94 — — — — — Non-album song
2004 "Feel Brand New" — 28 — — — — — — Feel Brand New
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "US Charts > Seduction". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  2. 1 2 "CAN Charts > Seduction". RPM. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  3. 1 2 "NZ Charts > Seduction". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  4. 1 2 "US Certifications > Seduction". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  5. ↑ "FRA Charts > Seduction". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  6. ↑ "GER Charts > Seduction". Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  7. ↑ "UK Charts > Seduction". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-09-08.

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