Enchanette

Enchanette, a vocalist based in Detroit whose R&B approach often draws from hip-hop, first attracted the notice of acclaimed producer and songwriter Michael J. Powell during the 1990s. Born Enchanette James in the Motor City on April 9, 1978, she encountered Powell for the initial time in 1996. That same year he put together a female vocal ensemble named the City Girls—patterned on urban contemporary acts such as TLC and Brownstone—and brought the then-18-year-old Enchanette aboard as one of its members. The group cut the track “Let’s Ride” for the D-Town imprint, yet it disbanded soon afterward. Following the split, Powell urged Enchanette to launch a solo path. Holding a degree in English and communications from the University of Detroit Mercy, she joined the Volt roster in 1999; Powell helmed her first album, Can You Feel Me?, which Volt/Fantasy issued in June 2000.