Lisa Fischer

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lisa Fischer first gained notice lending background vocals to early-1980s singles by Kleeer and D Train. Adopting the alias Xēna, she stepped forward as a lead artist in 1983 with the freestyle staple “On the Upside.” Throughout the balance of the decade she ranked among the most sought-after session voices, appearing on countless contemporary R&B sessions for Angela Bofill, Billy Ocean, Luther Vandross, Cheryl Lynn, and Will Downing. Before the 1980s closed she had cemented ongoing road partnerships with Vandross and the Rolling Stones. Her trajectory shifted markedly once she joined the Elektra roster. The 1991 album So Intense rose to number five on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart, housing the number-seven R&B single “Save Me” and the chart-topping “How Can I Ease the Pain,” which captured the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance that year. She stayed busy on the road not only with Vandross and the Stones but also with Tina Turner and Chris Botti, while recording alongside everyone from AC/DC to Bobby McFerrin. Dutch and Lovestorm additionally spotlighted her on a series of house 12-inch releases. In 2013 she took center stage on Eclipse, an album by Louie Vega’s Elements of Life, and she appeared in the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, which examined the contributions of overlooked backing vocalists. Warm critical response to the film spurred Fischer to restart her solo path; she began performing with the trio Grand Baton at festivals such as Newport and Monterey Jazz.