Dani Stevenson

An Atlanta diva whose quick move into the R&B spotlight was perfectly timed by Universal Records, Dani Stevenson's sultry voice was integrated into the mainstream through Nelly. His party anthem "Hot in Herre" was a massive success in part because of her sexy response in the chorus. But before any of that happened, Stevenson was just a Georgia native whose family moved to Harlem when she was an adolescent. Always confident in her voice, she practiced and worked on her skills until she was asked to sing the national anthem at her junior high graduation. Taking the event to heart, she followed the performance with a single-minded dedication to singing that found her competing regularly in talent contests in the area. By 2001, producer Rhemario Webber had stepped into her life and started a relationship that led to a few recording sessions at his studio. Whipping up a demo, Universal Records snatched her up and was so impressed with her professional attitude that they allowed eight of the demo tracks to make it to her debut album with little more than a few overdubs. Recording the rest of Is There Another?! that spring, Stevenson fit in well with Webber's vision of traditional R&B blended with hip-hop beats and jazzy melodies. Missy Elliot also contributed the sassy "Honk Your Horn" to the record, adding a modern twist to the throwback feel. But before the album's release, a chance pairing with Nelly and his producers resulted in her appearance on "Hot in Herre," a gigantic dance hit in the summer of 2002. Using the exposure to further her own career, the album was released soon after with Elliot's contribution acting as the first single.