Zhané

The suave and sexy ’90s R&B duo Zhané gave the world a series of memorable hits—most notably “Her Mr. D.J.”—before calling it quits after two albums. • Renée Neufville and Jean Norris met in 1990 while both were students at Temple University in Philadelphia. They sang together at talent shows and other events. • The pair met Philly hero DJ Jazzy Jeff in 1991 and made their recording debut with “Ring My Bell,” off DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s 1991 album Homebase. • At the suggestion of former music executive Benny Medina, Neufville and Norris formed a group. They used a French pronunciation of their first names pushed together and added a “Z” for extra flavor. • Their silky-smooth 1993 debut single, “Hey, Mr. D.J.,” reached No. 3 on the Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100. • Zhané’s 1994 debut album, Pronounced Jah-Nay includes both “Hey Mr. D.J” and the follow-up hit “Groove Thang,” which peaked at No. 2 on the R&B charts and went Top 20 on pop. • The duo’s 1997 sophomore effort, Saturday Night, generated another Top 10 R&B hit, “Request Line.” But the group split up soon after.