Cherrelle

Cheryl Anne Norton (born 13 October 1958) Los Angeles, California. Specialising as an R&B singer and songwriter, she gained prominent international recognition during the mid-1980s urban contemporary movement for her distinctive vocal delivery and collaborative duets, performing under the professional stage name Cherrelle.

Early Life

Norton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her father, James Feaster, was a Detroit attorney who also oversaw her early career navigation and initial business affairs. Her professional musical foundations were established through live vocal collaborations with jazz-funk and soul musicians Norman Connors and Michael Henderson, which eventually led to an opportunity to tour as a backing vocalist with Luther Vandross. Her career trajectory shifted significantly in 1983 when Clarence Avant, the founder of Tabu Records, secured her signature for the label after evaluating her demo recordings. Her professional pseudonym was inspired by a past employer who routinely called out the phonetic phrase "Cher-relle" when she arrived late for work.
 

Career

In 1984, under the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Cherrelle released her debut studio album, Fragile, which yielded the top 10 Billboard R&B hit "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Her sophomore effort, High Priority (1985), achieved RIAA gold certification and featured the prominent duet with Alexander O'Neal, "Saturday Love", reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart. She maintained commercial momentum with her third album, Affair (1988), which secured her first number-one R&B single with "Everything I Miss at Home". Seeking artistic diversification, she departed from Jam and Lewis for her 1991 album, The Woman I Am, collaborating with pop-soul producer Narada Michael Walden, before independently reuniting with her original production partners for her 1999 album, The Right Time.

Personal Life

In 1984, under the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Cherrelle released her debut studio album, Fragile, which yielded the top 10 Billboard R&B hit "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Her sophomore effort, High Priority (1985), achieved RIAA gold certification and featured the prominent duet with Alexander O'Neal, "Saturday Love", reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart. She maintained commercial momentum with her third album, Affair (1988), which secured her first number-one R&B single with "Everything I Miss at Home". Seeking artistic diversification, she departed from Jam and Lewis for her 1991 album, The Woman I Am, collaborating with pop-soul producer Narada Michael Walden, before independently reuniting with her original production partners for her 1999 album, The Right Time.

Current Activities

The artist is currently active on the nostalgic soul live circuit, booking theater appearances and collaborative R&B package dates across North America. Her recent performance itinerary features engagements on multi-artist bills, including the "Hit Makers of Love Tour" alongside legacy vocalists such as Howard Hewett. Managed by her own production and representation teams, Cherrelle is currently engaged in several high-profile projects, focusing on regional concert dates and continuing her engagement with live legacy music festivals.