Femme Fatale

The five-piece outfit Femme Fatale came together in Albuquerque before shifting its base to Los Angeles in 1987, a period when hair metal bands commanded widespread attention and strong platinum sales. With Lorraine Lewis at the helm, the lineup featured guitarists Mazzi Rawd and Bill D'Angelo, bassist Rick Rael, and drummer Bobby Murray. Lewis had already gained experience in cover bands, and her commanding stage presence quickly secured the newly arrived group a contract with MCA Records within months of the relocation. The self-titled debut appeared in early 1989, earning substantial MTV rotation for the clips supporting “Waiting for the Big One” and “Falling in & out of Love.” The band also shared bills with Cheap Trick while placing tracks on multiple teen-oriented film soundtracks. Even with this visibility, Femme Fatale could not distinguish itself amid the wave of comparable acts saturating the scene, resulting in only modest commercial returns. No follow-up album materialized; Lewis instead struck out on her own, eventually settling in Philadelphia and exploring a rootsier solo path. In 2002 she issued an EP cut in Los Angeles and Nashville with session musicians drawn from both locations.