10 R&B singers who shaped the genre in the 80s

Like Aretha Franklin’s 1985 song “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves,” female R&B singers went their own ways in the ’80s.

Women dominated their respective fields and took their careers into their own hands.

In a male-dominated industry, women gained confidence that enabled them to thrive and successfully overcome the unique challenges they faced.

Just as these tides changed, so did the music scene. Starting with the 70s with funk and generous instrumental support, the following decade plunged headlong into the use of electronic, digitized features.

Synthesizers became standard and electric drum machines were widely used. Along with new technological developments, there was a fusion of R&B and pop.

Women topped the charts and vacillated between the two. Due to their sensation, R&B amplification began to seep into pop music, leading to greater advancement of the genre.

Janet Jackson’s career breakthrough came in the middle of the decade with control and was a crossover hit, even with the obvious intention of appealing more to a black audience.

Despite fears about the reception of her music, Whitney Houston’s rise to fame coincided with the same period, proving that black music, regardless of genre, is popular music.

While megastars like Jackson and Houston rose to prominence, numerous other women also gained recognition within the solo genre.

Newcomers Anita Baker and Sade have shown their colors with their mysterious jazzy sound and have become an unspoken symbol of R&B and the Quiet Storm radio format.

Important personalities such as Patti LaBelle and Evelyn “Champagne” King, who made their music a decade earlier, also gained recognition.

Many focus on the big names, but a handful of women deserve credit for shaping the pure R&B sound during the turning point in pop culture.

They made a name for themselves by preserving and promoting R&B, while others unknowingly entered new territory whose traces are still felt today.

Below are ten R&B singers who made significant contributions to the development of the genre in the 1980s.

Regina Belle

In Regina Belle’s case, radio played a major role in the artist’s discovery. New York radio DJ Vaughn Harper introduced Belle to the R&B group The Manhattans, thus enabling her to make her breakthrough as a singer.

Belle began as the band’s opening act before recording the duet “Where Did We Go Wrong,” which caught the attention of Columbia Records executives.

Her vibrant, silky voice is a mix of R&B and smooth jazz and gives the listener an impressive power that inspires them to let their emotions run free.

Classic hits like “Baby Come to Me” and “Make It Like It Was” from 1989 stay with me were an integral part of late night radio.

Her duet “A Whole New World” with Peabo Bryson is forever anchored in our childhood and was the award-winning theme song for the Disney film Aladdin.

Cherelle

Cherrelle brought a lively and fun aspect to the genre and had the right jams for the dance floor and the way home from the club.

The Tabu Records newcomer has teamed up with up-and-coming super producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to enhance their signature sound.

Cherrelle’s gentle soprano voice gave way to a sound that was easy to follow and passionately sing along to with the rhythmic and synth-heavy production.

Her most outstanding songs are well-known duets, but her solo pieces offer the same satisfaction and inspire the same level of cheeky confidence.

Cherrelle’s sound was a mainstay of the decade and began to elevate a popular sound by incorporating a soulful and funky aspect.

Mike Howard

Miki Howard’s gorgeous, captivating voice is a byproduct of her gospel roots and strong jazz influences.

As a teenager, she was on track to pursue a music career when, at the age of 19, she joined the R&B band Side Effect as one of their vocalists.

A few years after she left the group, her demo landed her a recording contract with Atlantic Records.

She stayed true to her line of romantic and lovesick numbers that exuded a light drama that was appealing and well received.

Howard’s ability to draw on older vocal variations while maintaining her original sound proved that her talent was remarkable.

Chaka Khan

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After Chaka Khan’s success as lead singer of the funk band Rufus in the 1970s, she was destined to pursue a solo career. Her fulfilling, powerful vocal range and distinctive, raw tone sparked a passion that really can’t be contained.

Lyrics aside, Khan’s powerful vocals tell a story, gradually gaining momentum until they reach their famous high register.

Her popularity grew steadily over the years, but she became a mega-success with her 1984 album, I feel for you.

Khan has effortlessly transformed her sound over time, releasing seven solo albums over the course of the decade, and has the ability to continue to channel her vibrant spirit in any musical direction she explores.

Marie-Marie

Artists dream of creative control. Gaining confidence in your performance while staying true to your craft can be a hurdle, but Teena Marie didn’t seem to be bothered by that.

She wrote, produced and arranged about 90 percent of her music, showing that women are much more than just a piece to be put on stage.

Paired with her technical talent, Marie’s distinctive voice added an electrifying energy that enhanced her heterogeneous contribution amidst the finely tuned musical terrain.

Their twist on R&B contained an authentic funk element that was genuinely embraced.

As the Ivory Queen of Soul, she respected the genre, its predecessors and her contemporaries, and confirmed that soul can come from anyone.

Stephanie Mills

The beginning of a professional career on Broadway at the age of nine foreshadowed Stephanie Mills’ later success.

Two years later, she won the famous Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater – a record six times – and played the coveted role of Dorothy in the Broadway production of The Wizard with 15, crucial points that helped her start her solid career.

Her powerful and robust soprano is an achievement that owes much to her start, and Mills’ ability to immensely control her wide vocal range is unanimously praised.

The incomparable singer continued to create numerous passionate moments throughout the decade, establishing herself as a standout figure in contemporary R&B.

Melissa Morgan

With the sensuality in her voice, Melisa Morgan made the difficult aspects of a relationship sound less painful.

As a background singer for greats such as Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan, her voice was undoubtedly on par with the best of her colleagues.

Their best known song is their remarkable and daring take on Prince’s “Do Me Baby.” The slower, more elaborate remake of the ’80s deep cut garnered a level of acclaim that most could only dream of.

The quality of Morgan’s work was impressive to a certain extent, with classics like “Fool’s Paradise” reaching beyond the radio and into our hearts.

Patrice Rushen

As one of the few women in the industry at the time producing and arranging for herself, Patrice Rushen played a major role in breaking this glass ceiling.

In addition to her own music, the classically trained pianist also contributed songs for others, such as Minnie Riperton and her friend Teena Marie. Rushen was already established in the jazz sector, and the transition to the R&B/dance area was not a great challenge for her.

She brought a worldly essence infused with wholesome analog instrumentation while the majority of artists were moving to digital aspects. Her tepid presence was a gentle option for those who wanted to get carried away by a groove.

Karin White

R&B took on other identities in the 1980s. In New Jack Swing in particular, Karyn White is one of the significant female voices that represent this energetic subgenre.

She enjoyed great success with her 1988 eponymous debut album, and her collaborations with Babyface and LA Reid helped her produce a platinum-selling LP that marked the end of the decade.

The album was an ideal glimpse into the evolution of the genre, featuring soulful hip-hop/dance jams and sweeping mid-tempo love songs with the signature electric guitar breakdown. White’s festive, sweet voice helped carry this fresh sound into a new era.

Angela Winbush

Angela Winbush had a lot to prove for her solo career. She began her career as a background singer for the famous Stevie Wonder.

While in Los Angeles, she met her writing partner and formed the R&B group Rene & Angela. The duo wrote and produced songs together for other artists and enjoyed considerable success of their own, but Winbush now had to strike out on her own.

She began writing, producing, arranging and mixing for herself and several fellow singers, including “Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)” by Stephanie Mills.

Her breakthrough came with her debut album, Sharp, In 1987, she became one of the few successful black female producers in the industry. On the other hand, Winbush’s haunting vocal style was the result of a decidedly piercing performance that was particularly stirring.

Stream Rated R&B’s “Women of the 80s” playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.