spar·kle (spär k l) v. -kled, -kling. 1.To give off sparks. 2. To give off or reflect flashes of light; glitter. 3. To be brilliant or witty.
spar·kle (spär k l) n., 1. R&B diva of Chicago’s West Side
At first glance you think of Diana RossΓÇÖs exotic looks, alluring, almond-shaped eyes, and pouty lips. The voice, though, is purely Sparkle. Somehow it shimmersΓÇöitΓÇÖs weightless, yet intense. SparkleΓÇÖs church-girl soprano speaks of Sunday mornings, while her throaty alto conjures up smoky late-night bluesy studio jam sessions.
Sparkle was introduced to listeners two years ago by music heavyweight R Kelly on their duet ΓÇ£Be Careful,ΓÇ¥ which remained at Number One on BillboardΓÇÖs R&B mainstream airplay chart for five weeks.
Flash forward to 2000: Sparkle is back with a new album, a new producer, and a new home. Her Told You So album, produced by Steve ΓÇ£StoneΓÇ¥ Huff of Stone Productions, is Motown Records' newest gem. ΓÇ£I couldnΓÇÖt have asked for a better place to be [than Motown]. IΓÇÖm surrounded by good people who believe in me,ΓÇ¥ explains Sparkle. ΓÇ£IΓÇÖm on my second album and it is blazinΓÇÖ. I am where I am by the grace of God."
Huff, who has worked with some of everybody who is anybody in the music business, was instrumental in SparkleΓÇÖs maturation as an artist. Steve encouraged the songstress to put her feelings down on paper, which lead to her co-writing five songs on Told You So. (She also co-wrote on newcomer AvantΓÇÖs remix, ΓÇ£Separated.ΓÇ¥)
The first single, ΓÇ£ItΓÇÖs A Fact,ΓÇ¥ is one of the songs she penned for her latest effort. ItΓÇÖs a preciously orchestrated mid-tempo that chronicles a woman wronged who fights back. The songΓÇÖs emotions ΓÇ£were drawn from friends and some of my experiences, but these are really universal themes. WeΓÇÖve all been there, on one level or another,ΓÇ¥ Sparkle says.
The track ΓÇ£LovinΓÇÖ A ManΓÇ¥ features the nostalgic riff from ΓÇ£Precious Love,ΓÇ¥ by her legendary labelmates Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell, while ΓÇ£Into My LifeΓÇ¥ celebrates the headiness of being head over heels for that special someone.
Growing up on the West Side inspired her to breathe life into the hard-hitting anthem ΓÇ£The Ghetto,ΓÇ¥ written by Stone. ItΓÇÖs a heart-wrenching ode to the troubled streets of Chicago. ΓÇ£I grew up seeing niΓÇöas hustling on street corners. And I still roll through there on a regular basis. I was blessed to have a solid upbringing, but all that is still a part of who I am. IΓÇÖm from the ghetto, and I donΓÇÖt have a problem with that,ΓÇ¥ says Sparkle.
But she also learned to appreciate the ΓÇ£Good Life.ΓÇ¥ On the aptly titled track she acknowledges that worldly goods arenΓÇÖt everything, but they're not bad, either. ΓÇ£I feel like IΓÇÖm in a good moment in my life,ΓÇ¥ says Sparkle. ΓÇ£IΓÇÖm involved in my entire project, I see things through, but IΓÇÖm not nearly satisfied yet. I have so much more to accomplishΓÇömusically and personally.ΓÇ¥
With Told You So, Sparkle emerges as a total artist. The completion of this album is more than just a dream come true. For her it’s one mission accomplished. “I am back with a vengeance, and now I can say…Told You So.”
