Yvette Michele

Yvette Michele first caught public attention during 1995, lending her sultry vocals to Hot-97 DJ Funkmaster Flex’s The Mix Tape, Vol. 1. The featured track “Everyday & Everynight” prompted Loud!/RCA to sign her for the full-length project My Dream. Her earliest musical experiences involved harmonizing with radio broadcasts and her mother’s collection of jazz vocal LPs; as a teenager she performed in church choirs, took dance classes, and absorbed the funk sounds of Prince, Chaka Khan, and the Commodores. Frequent appearances at open-mike nights throughout New York led to a demo tape that she eventually handed to longtime friend Funkmaster Flex. That connection placed her on his Mix Tape compilation, a project known for blending classic rap cuts with fresh freestyles from leading hip-hop artists. Strong sales encouraged a follow-up volume that again included Michele, this time with the song “I’m Not Feeling You.” She then secured a solo deal and issued My Dream in August 1997.