Biography
Born in Ladbroke Grove, London, England, the gifted vocalist drew her soulful approach from early exposure to classic recordings. A 1993 demo tape triggered intense competition among major labels, with U2’s Mother imprint securing the contract. Her father’s deep admiration for Lena Horne had prompted the choice of her first name, and traces of that performer’s stage energy surface in Fiagbe’s own microphone work. Issued under the name Lena, her first single “You Come From Earth” took thematic cues from a space-travel documentary and echoed the cosmic curiosity heard in fellow UK artist Jamiroquai’s material, yet it failed to connect with listeners. The label then demanded remix treatments for the next release. Fiagbe voiced strong reservations about the house versions attached to “Gotta Get It Right (One World),” which still reached the lower edge of the UK Top 20, remarking, “The only thing I dislike is if by putting out dance mixes people start seeing me as a dance artist, then I can’t handle it. That’s not what I’m about.” She later joined Lenny Kravitz and Daryl Hall on tour, contributed the co-written track “Borderline” to Hall’s Soul Alone album, and received additional acclaim for her debut album Visions, whose limited pressings included a bonus seven-track acoustic disc underscoring her singer-songwriter identity. An unfinished follow-up project and a subsequent label shift brought momentum to a halt, though she re-entered the UK Top 40 in 1996 by supplying guest vocals on Wasis Diop’s “African Dream.”
Albums