Chris Willis

Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, where he grew up, former gospel performer Chris Willis gained widespread recognition for supplying commanding vocals on most of the chart-dominating dance tracks issued by French producer David Guetta. After finishing college he joined a gospel ensemble that logged hundreds of concerts throughout California and contributed to the well-received collection Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. His 1996 self-titled debut album, consisting entirely of original sacred material, received a Best R&B Album nomination at the Nashville Music Awards, earned him opening slots for Christian comedian Mark Lowry, and led to an appearance in Norman Miller's musical production Emmanuel. An introduction to Guetta occurred while Willis was collaborating with French boy band 2BE3; the DJ subsequently brought him to a Paris studio, resulting in several co-written songs that achieved global hit status, among them "Just a Little More Love," "Love Don't Let Me Go," and "Love Is Gone." Following joint appearances on Guetta's One Love tour and at the F*** Me I'm Famous Ibiza residency, the pair reached the top of the U.K. singles chart with Fergie and LMFAO on "Gettin' Over You," at which point Willis had a debut pop album titled Inside Voice slated for release in 2011.