Yvette Michele was first heard in 1995 as the sultry singer on Hot-97 DJ Funkmaster Flex's The Mix Tape, Vol. 1. Thanks to her contribution, "Everyday & Everynight," she was offered a contract on Loud!/RCA for her debut album, My Dream. She began by singing along with the radio as well as her mother's stacks of jazz vocal records; she sang in the church choir and studied dance as a teenager, but also became influenced by funk acts like Prince, Chaka Khan and the Commodores. She attended various open-mike nights at spots around New York, and made a demo tape. After passing it to her longtime friend, Funkmaster Flex, Michele found herself recording a single for his Mix Tape compilation, which alternated classic rap tracks with freestyles from hip-hop's best. The album did well, spawning a second volume, with another track from Yvette Michele, "I'm Not Feeling You." She signed a solo contract and released her debut album, My Dream, in August 1997. ~ John Bush