Sweet Sensation

Formed by Bronx and Manhattan natives Mari and Margie Fernandez alongside Betty LeBron, Sweet Sensation stood out as one of the scarce freestyle outfits that reached mainstream audiences. They began under the name Sweet Temptation but switched after pushback from the Temptations’ representatives, then secured a contract with Next Plateau. The label introduced them in 1986 through the Ted Currier and David Sanchez–produced single “Hooked on You,” followed in 1987 by “(Goodbye Baby) Victim of Love.” The trio subsequently moved to ATCO, where their first album, Take It While It’s Hot, appeared in 1988; four tracks from it, among them a reworked “Hooked on You,” entered the Billboard Hot 100.

Their follow-up, Love Child, surfaced in 1990 and contained a number 13 pop hit that recast the Diana Ross & the Supremes Motown classic of the same name in freestyle form, plus the pop/rock ballad “If Wishes Came True,” which climbed to number one. A remix set, Time to Jam!, arrived the next year. No additional studio albums emerged, while the group navigated long gaps of inactivity and repeated roster adjustments. As of 2013 the act continued performing, still including original member LeBron.