Nicci Gilbert

Although she now records as a solo artist, Los Angeles resident Nichole "Nicci" Gilbert is best known for her years as the lead singer of Brownstone--one of the top urban contemporary female vocal groups of the ‘90s. Brownstone only provided two albums before breaking up, but while they were together, they were quite popular. Often compared to En Vogue, TLC, SWV and Destiny's Child, Gilbert's Brownstone shouldn't be confused with a ‘70s group that had the same name. Gilbert isn't from L.A. originally; the urban contemporary/neo-soul vocalist grew up in Detroit, where her mother was a jazz singer. Gilbert's mom did a lot to encourage her interest in music, and when she was in high school, Gilbert performed Madonna's "Crazy for You" in a talent show. After graduating from high school, Gilbert studied music and drama at Eastern Michigan University. But she ended up dropping out after two years so that she could move to L.A. with a friend and be closer to the music industry. It was a risky move--it's better to have a college degree than not have one--but a move that eventually paid off for her. At first, Gilbert struggled in L.A., where she appeared in various talent shows while paying her bills with non-musical "day gigs" (including a job at Taco Bell). But things started to pick up for Gilbert when, in 1993, she formed Brownstone's original lineup with Monica "Mimi" Doby and Charmayne "Maxee" Maxwell (a native of Guyana). The following year, Brownstone signed with R&B/pop superstar Michael Jackson's MJJ Music, which was distributed by Epic/Sony--and in 1995, MJJ/Epic released the vocal trio's debut album, From the Bottom Up (which lists Jackson as executive producer). Brownstone's first single, "Pass the Lovin'," was only a minor hit, but their next single, "If You...