RichGirl
Encyclopedia
RichGirl was an American
R&B
girl group consisting of four members, Audra, Brave, Lyndriette and SeVen. The group was formed with the help of record producer Rich Harrison
, and is managed by Tina Davis. The album's first single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)", was produced by Harrison.
The group draws inspiration from groups such as En Vogue
, TLC
, Spice Girls
, Destiny's Child
, SWV
and artists such as Madonna
, Stevie Wonder
, Michael Jackson
& Beyonce.
, and signed to his label Richcraft, and Jive Records
in 2007. Lyndriette was signed to a production company at the age of 15 when she first met Harrison. They kept in contact, and when Harrison decided to start the group, he immediately offered her a spot, "He knew me so by the time the idea came to him, he had me in mind and offered me the position". Christina "Brave" Williams met Harrison at the age of 16, and as signed to his label as a solo artist. Williams left after a year due to creative differences; however, when she encountered Harrison a few years later, she became part of the group. Amber "SeVen" Streeter signed a deal with Interscope when she was 15 as a member of the Chris Stokes girl group, TG4
. The group released an EP called "Virginity -EP" in 2002 and disbanded before they could release their first LP "Time for the New". Streeter was later discovered by Harrison on MySpace
, and signed onto the RichCraft label as SeVen. Audra Simmons relocated to Los Angeles to launch a solo career, and joined the group through an open audition. Audra said that she was "waiting tables by day and singing at night, that's when I found out about Richgirl [...] I was the only girl they found through the actual auditioning process". Once RichGirl was formed, the members began living together in Atlanta.
, reached #83 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart in 2009. Their first official single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)", was produced by Harrison, and has a music video directed by Ray Kay
.
The girls performed at the annual Teen Takeover event in May 2009, alongside Keri Hilson
and Yung L.A.
. RichGirl was an opening act for Beyoncé
on her I Am… Tour
, for the North American Leg beginning on June 21, 2009 in New York. The group performed a 15-minute set, which included their single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)
", snippets from their debut album and a cover of "Over the Rainbow
".
Seven described the album as "motivational, empowering, fun and honest". The girls wrote several songs on the album and did their own vocal arrangements, although Lyndriette said they "didn't get an opportunity to write as much as we all liked only because it was a little rushed, and the label was pushing us to get it done". In addition to Harrison, the group has recorded with Bryan-Michael Cox, and production duos The Underdogs
, Dre & Vidal
, and "KP" and Malay
.
The album's next single was confirmed to be "Swagger Right", which features Fabolous
and Rick Ross
, which is available now. A music video for the single was shot and released by Colin Tilley. The song peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on its second week after premiere and later fell off the charts.
was released on Valentine's Day 2011 and was made available for free download on their official site.
On October 7, RCA Music Group
announced it was disbanding Jive Records
along with Arista Records
and J Records
. With the shutdown, the girls (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their self-titled debut album) on the RCA Records
brand.
In October 2011, it was revealed that RichGirl member Lyndriette had been enrolled in Robin Antin
's revised edition of the Pussycat Dolls
. No official announcement has been made regarding the future of RichGirl as of November 2011. It was then announced on November 22 that Lyndritte revealed she is releasing a solo EP entitled Proclamation and that her first single "Addicted" would be released the same day. There is still no official announcement of the group's future.
and the Spice Girls
, citing the individuality, but still being a whole. RichGirl is inspired by the looks, sophistication and classiness of En Vogue.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
girl group consisting of four members, Audra, Brave, Lyndriette and SeVen. The group was formed with the help of record producer Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
, and is managed by Tina Davis. The album's first single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)", was produced by Harrison.
The group draws inspiration from groups such as En Vogue
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
, TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
, Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
, Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
and artists such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
& Beyonce.
2007–2008: Formation
RichGirl was formed with the help of Rich HarrisonRich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
, and signed to his label Richcraft, and Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
in 2007. Lyndriette was signed to a production company at the age of 15 when she first met Harrison. They kept in contact, and when Harrison decided to start the group, he immediately offered her a spot, "He knew me so by the time the idea came to him, he had me in mind and offered me the position". Christina "Brave" Williams met Harrison at the age of 16, and as signed to his label as a solo artist. Williams left after a year due to creative differences; however, when she encountered Harrison a few years later, she became part of the group. Amber "SeVen" Streeter signed a deal with Interscope when she was 15 as a member of the Chris Stokes girl group, TG4
Tom Gurl Four
TG4 was an all girl R&B quartet. The group consisted of membersKeisha Henry, Davida Williams, Amber Streeter, and Ashley Gallo.- Music career :...
. The group released an EP called "Virginity -EP" in 2002 and disbanded before they could release their first LP "Time for the New". Streeter was later discovered by Harrison on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, and signed onto the RichCraft label as SeVen. Audra Simmons relocated to Los Angeles to launch a solo career, and joined the group through an open audition. Audra said that she was "waiting tables by day and singing at night, that's when I found out about Richgirl [...] I was the only girl they found through the actual auditioning process". Once RichGirl was formed, the members began living together in Atlanta.
2009–2010: 24s, He Ain't Wit Me Now (Tho) and Swagger Right
The members of RichGirl are currently working on their self-titled debut album; it was due early 2010, but has been pushed back to 2011. Buzz-single, "24s" featuring BunBun
A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....
, reached #83 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart in 2009. Their first official single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)", was produced by Harrison, and has a music video directed by Ray Kay
Ray Kay
Ray Kay is a Norwegian director and photographer, based in Los Angeles.He is one of the most sought-after music video & commercial directors in the world now, and has directed the most watched video on YouTube, Justin Bieber's "Baby" . All in all, his videos have been viewed more than 1 billion...
.
The girls performed at the annual Teen Takeover event in May 2009, alongside Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson
Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch...
and Yung L.A.
Yung L.A.
Leland Austin, better known by his stage name Yung L.A., is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. His debut single "Ain't I", peaked at #47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and hit #7 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. He released his second debut single "Futuristic Love " featuring...
. RichGirl was an opening act for Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
on her I Am… Tour
I Am… Tour
I Am… Tour was the third worldwide concert tour by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, to promote her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce . The tour was announced in October, 2008 and the first dates were revealed in December, 2008. The tour kicked off in late-March 2009 with five...
, for the North American Leg beginning on June 21, 2009 in New York. The group performed a 15-minute set, which included their single, "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)
He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho)
"He Ain't wit Me Now " is a song by R&B girl group RichGirl. The song serves as the official first single off of the girls self-titled debut album, RichGirl. The single was produced by Rich Harrison, who has additionally worked with Beyoncé on her chart-topping "Crazy in Love" and Amerie on "1...
", snippets from their debut album and a cover of "Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
".
Seven described the album as "motivational, empowering, fun and honest". The girls wrote several songs on the album and did their own vocal arrangements, although Lyndriette said they "didn't get an opportunity to write as much as we all liked only because it was a little rushed, and the label was pushing us to get it done". In addition to Harrison, the group has recorded with Bryan-Michael Cox, and production duos The Underdogs
The Underdogs (duo)
The Underdogs is an R&B/pop production duo composed of Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas.-Biography:Harvey Mason, Jr. is the son of Harvey Mason, Sr., a noted session drummer...
, Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
, and "KP" and Malay
Malay (producer)
Malay is an R&B/Pop/Rock/Hip-Hop producer and songwriter who is believed to be of Asian descent.-Discography:-External links:...
.
The album's next single was confirmed to be "Swagger Right", which features Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
and Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
, which is available now. A music video for the single was shot and released by Colin Tilley. The song peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on its second week after premiere and later fell off the charts.
2011-present: Fall in Love With RichGirl and potential disbandment
The girls' mixtape Fall in Love with RichGirlFall in Love with RichGirl
Notes* "No Hands" features uncredited vocals by Waka Flocka Flame, Wale & Roscoe Dash due to the song sample.* "All of the Lights" features uncredited vocals by Kanye West & Rihanna due to the song sample....
was released on Valentine's Day 2011 and was made available for free download on their official site.
On October 7, RCA Music Group
RCA Music Group
RCA Music Group was an umbrella group of labels distributed by Sony Music Entertainment that existed between March 2004 and 2009 and for a short period of time between July 2011 and October 2011 until all RCA Music Group labels were merged with RCA Records....
announced it was disbanding Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
along with Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
and J Records
J Records
J Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:...
. With the shutdown, the girls (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their self-titled debut album) on the RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
brand.
In October 2011, it was revealed that RichGirl member Lyndriette had been enrolled in Robin Antin
Robin Antin
Robin Antin is an American dancer, choreographer, music video director, actress, showgirl, clothing designer and entrepreneur. In 1995 in Los Angeles Antin, Christina Applegate and Carla Kama founded the modern burlesque troupe The Pussycat Dolls...
's revised edition of the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
. No official announcement has been made regarding the future of RichGirl as of November 2011. It was then announced on November 22 that Lyndritte revealed she is releasing a solo EP entitled Proclamation and that her first single "Addicted" would be released the same day. There is still no official announcement of the group's future.
Songwriting and image
The group's name, RichGirl, refers to "a certain attitude and confidence, combined with individuality and talent that any girl might possess", rather than material items. Brave says that their sound is "very honest", and "each song tells a specific story". The group wants to "bring the singing back to the songs", which they feel is lacking in the music industry. The singers describe themselves as a cross between En VogueEn Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
and the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
, citing the individuality, but still being a whole. RichGirl is inspired by the looks, sophistication and classiness of En Vogue.
Official mixtapes
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Fall in Love with RichGirl Fall in Love with RichGirl Notes* "No Hands" features uncredited vocals by Waka Flocka Flame, Wale & Roscoe Dash due to the song sample.* "All of the Lights" features uncredited vocals by Kanye West & Rihanna due to the song sample....
|
Roscoe Dash Jeffery Johnson Jr. , better known by his stage name Roscoe Dash, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.- Major label success :... 's "No Hands", Bruno Mars Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age... ’ "Grenade", Kanye West Kanye West Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and... ’s "All of the Lights", Keri Hilson Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch... ’s "Pretty Girl Rock", and Usher Usher (entertainer) Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100... 's "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" is a song by recording artist Usher and features guest vocals from American rapper Pitbull. It was written by Savan Kotecha, Pitbull, Shellback and Max Martin, with the latter two producing it. It is the first single from Usher's EP, Versus... ". |
EPs
| Year | Information |
|---|---|
| 2009 | RichGirl EP
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
Hot Club | |||
| 2009 | "He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho) He Ain't wit Me Now (Tho) "He Ain't wit Me Now " is a song by R&B girl group RichGirl. The song serves as the official first single off of the girls self-titled debut album, RichGirl. The single was produced by Rich Harrison, who has additionally worked with Beyoncé on her chart-topping "Crazy in Love" and Amerie on "1... " |
— | 96 | 31 | RichGirl |
| 2010 | "Swagger Right Swagger Right "Swagger Right" is the third single by R&B girl group RichGirl's upcoming self titled debut album RichGirl. The single was produced by Dre & Vidal, and was written by all members of the group including the featured rappers who wrote their additional verse's. The song was released September 28, 2010... " (feat. Rick Ross Rick Ross (rapper) William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection... & Fabolous Fabolous John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut... ) |
— | 72 | — |
Promotional singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
Hot Club | |||
| 2008 | "24's 24's (RichGirl song) "24's" is a song performed by R&B girl group RichGirl. The song was produced by Rich Harrison, and was released as a promotional single from their self-titled debut album on February 6, 2009 on iTunes. A remix to the song featuring Bun B... "(feat. Bun B.) |
— | 68 | — | RichGirl |
Album Appearances
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Perfume" (Chris Brown feat. seVen of RichGirl) | In My Zone |
| 2011 | "I Know" (Diddy Dirty Money feat. Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa and SeVen of RichGirl) | Last Train to Paris Last Train to Paris Last Train to Paris is the fifth studio album by American rapper and producer Diddy, released on December 13, 2010 through Bad Boy Records . The album follows Diddy's alter-ego as he travels from London to Paris to regain a lost love... |
Tours
Opening act- 2009: I Am… TourI Am… TourI Am… Tour was the third worldwide concert tour by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, to promote her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce . The tour was announced in October, 2008 and the first dates were revealed in December, 2008. The tour kicked off in late-March 2009 with five...
(Beyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
) - 2009: BK Family Live Tour (Mario)