Karyn White

Karyn Layvonne White was born on October 14, 1965, in Los Angeles, California. She began her musical journey singing in a church choir and later worked as a backing vocalist. Her early career also included contributions to Jeff Lorber’s 1986 album “Private Passion,” where she provided vocals on tracks such as “Facts of Love,” “True Confessions,” and “Back in Love.” These experiences led to her signing with Warner Bros. Records.

White’s self-titled debut album, “Karyn White,” released in 1988, marked a significant milestone in her career. Produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, the album achieved platinum status in the U.S. and featured hit singles like “The Way You Love Me,” “Secret Rendezvous,” and “Superwoman.” Her duet with Babyface, “Love Saw It,” reached number one on the R&B charts. White received nominations for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and two Grammy Awards. She made history as the first female artist to have her first three solo releases from a debut album top the R&B charts.

Her second album, “Ritual of Love” (1991), continued her success with the number one U.S. Billboard Hot 100 single “Romantic,” produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Other singles from this album included “The Way I Feel About You.” In 1994, she released “Make Him Do Right,” which included the R&B Top 10 hit “Can I Stay With You,” penned by Babyface. After a period away from the public music scene to focus on her family, White returned with “Carpe Diem” in 2012, followed by a recurring role on the BET Centric series “Beauty and the Baller” and her first feature film role in “Gale and the Storm” in 2017. Her contributions to the “Gale and the Storm” soundtrack earned her a 2017 UB Honors nomination for “Best Independent R&B Album Release.”