Natalie Brown

Natalie Brown's first album, Let the Candle Burn, finally appeared in 2000, although she had already spent years immersed in music, absorbing influences, sharpening her abilities, and meeting industry demands. Born in Ontario, Canada, she displayed early aptitude for both singing and stage presence while still in elementary school. During her teenage years she joined the Assiniboine South Youth Choir in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she performed as first soprano. After nearly abandoning her ambitions as a young adult, Brown relocated to San Francisco, California, and quickly attracted attention; by 1996 she had secured a position singing and touring with gospel artist Ron Kenoly.

A contract with an independent label in late 1998 initially suggested her career was advancing, yet the company soon faced financial collapse, blocking the planned release. Undeterred, she persisted until November 2000, when a new label enabled the appearance of Let the Candle Burn. Among its pop-flavored R&B selections are the tracks "More Today Than Yesterday," "Wind at My Back," "In Your Arms Again," and "Locked in the Shadows."