Crystal Johnson (singer)

Crystal Jeanell Johnson is a singer, songwriter, producer, and actress originally from Brooklyn, New York. She has performed in a variety of stage productions and has collaborated with a wide array of well-known artists, including Usher,[1] Angie Stone,[2] Anthony Hamilton,[3] Mobb Deep,[4] Heavy D,[5] Dr. Dre,[6] Pete Rock & CL Smooth,[7] and many others.[8][9]

Crystal’s career began at the age of seven, when she recorded with Pink Floyd as part of the Institutional Children's Choir. In 1980, she gave her first performance as the original lead in the musical Mama, I Want to Sing!. In 1988, Crystal made her Broadway debut at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in The Gospel at Colonus[10] with The Institutional Radio Choir. The play featured Morgan Freeman, the Soul Stirrers, and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama.[11]

Crystal's vocal abilities are displayed on several albums that charted in the United States, including "Got Me Waiting" from Heavy D & the Boyz's album Nuttin' but Love,[12] which topped the Billboard US Rap chart and reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Take You There" from Pete Rock & CL Smooth's album The Main Ingredient, which reached #76 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Temperature's Rising"[13] from Mobb Deep's The Infamous, which reached #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and her vocal skills are exhibited on the remix of their single "Survival of the Fittest".[14] Crystal contributed vocals on Usher's album Usher which debuted at #187 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[15] Crystal is the vocalist on "Lovin' You"[16] from the soundtrack for the film Who's the Man?.[17] She is also an arranger and lyricist for the album, which reached #8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in 1993. In 1994, Crystal performed "Take You There" with Pete Rock & CL Smooth live on the Jon Stewart show.[18]

Crystal co-wrote “The Message”[19] with Dr. Dre featuring Mary J. Blige from Dr. Dre’s second album 2001 (Dr. Dre album),[20] “Never Let Go” with Anthony Hamilton from the album Back to Love,[21] and “Cinderella Ballin’” with Angie Stone from the studio album Stone Love.[22] Crystal is featured on the single "More of Me" with Mike City, released in 2015.[23]

Crystal's self-produced album, released in 2011, is titled The Day Before Heaven.[24] The compilation includes thirteen songs, plus one bonus track, which were all written by Crystal.

In 2016, Crystal wrote, produced, directed and starred in her autobiographical play The Day Before Heaven.[25] The play premiered on May 5, 2016 at the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts at LIU Brooklyn.[26]

Crystal released the "Elevated" Quarantine Promo Mix at midnight on 4/20/2020.[27] Additional material is scheduled to be released in 2020.