Wendy Moten

Wendy Moten's self-titled debut album only produced a couple of minor R&B chart singles ("Step by Step" and "Come in out of the Rain"), but measured in artistic terms, the record displays a confident vocalist with a theatrical flair (and, indeed, Moten did land a starring role in the off-Broadway production Mama I Want to Sing). Moten is equally comfortable with urban R&B and smooth adult contemporary balladry, although her true affinity seems to be for the latter. She's missing the sort of killer singles that contemporaries like Mariah Carey rode to the top of the charts, but fans of that style may want to check this decent album out.