Kandi Burruss achieved fame in 1992 as a member of the platinum quartet Xscape. She established herself as the main voice of the group and an accomplished songwriter.
Her first major success as a writer came with the TLC smash "No Scrubs," for which she won a Grammy. In addition, Kandi became the first female to receive the coveted ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for Songwriter of the Year.
pour some sugar on us
Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Kandi had a penchant for writing lyrics and creating melodies. However, it was not until the success of "No Scrubs" that she realized that songwriting could become a career. In the wake of her third album with Xscape, Kandi penned hits for Destiny's Child, *N Sync and Sole.
As her writing prowess became known, everyone from Mariah Carey to Faith Evans contacted her for a song. Content with her songwriting gigs, Kandi still hankered to perform herself. With the help of big name producer She'kspere, Kandi put together the album Hey Kandi..., a fast-paced R&B effort with a pop feel to it, which spawned the hit catchy tune, "Don't Think I'm Not." The only stumbling block was writing songs for herself for a change.
smell of sweetness
For once, Kandi experienced difficulty churning out material. With time however, she put together a complete album, paying tribute to her southern roots and the trials of modern relationships.
Overall, Kandi is a multi-faceted entertainer, whose comfort level is equal in a variety of domains -- whether it is writing, acting, singing, or dancing. Proof of this is her wish to one day write and perform on Broadway. In the immediate future though, her plan is to continue writing sweet R&B hits for herself and other top artists.