Wild Orchid (album)

Untitled

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	B+

Wild Orchid is the self-titled debut and most successful album by American group Wild Orchid, released on March 23, 1997 (see 1997 in music).

Production

After signing a recording contract with RCA Records, the trio wrote and recorded songs throughout 1995 with the help of Renee's songwriter brother Bobby Sandstrom. The album took approximately nine months to complete.

Release and promotion

They released their debut single "At Night I Pray" on September 3, 1996, with the album due for an October 29, 1996 release. However, it was postponed and was released on March 23, 1997, in the midst of the popularity of their second single "Talk to Me".

The album debuted with its highest chart position in Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart at #153. It has sold 1,000,000 copies worldwide.

The album also received two Billboard Music Award nominations for "Talk to Me" and two Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nominations - one for Album of the Year By a Group, Band or Duo and one for Best Music Video for "Talk to Me". The group also received an American Music Award for Favorite R&B/Soul Artist.

Promotion

Wild Orchid spent 1996 and 1997 promoting their debut album. They made appearances on Ricki Lake, Access Hollywood, MTV, Wild On!, The RuPaul Show, Hard Copy, The HitList with Tarzan Dan, Vibe, Mad TV, The Pat Bullard Show, Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends, Terry Bradshaw, Crook and Chase, The Jenny Jones Show, Electric Circus and Goode Behavior. The group even toured with 98 Degrees and 'N Sync across the U.S., Canada and Asia.

The singles "At Night I Pray", "Talk to Me" and "Supernatural" all garnered substantial radio airplay, all appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.

Dance remixes of "Follow Me" and "I Won't Play the Fool" were released in May 1998 and became popular in underground clubs. The "I Won't Play the Fool" remix landed on the Top 10 Dance Remixes Chart of 1998 in Billboard magazine.

Track listing

1. "At Night I Pray" (Duran, Bobby Sandstrom, Wild Orchid) – 4:16
2. "Supernatural" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Wild Orchid) – 4:38
3. "I Won't Play the Fool" (Sylvia Bennett-Smith) – 4:26
4. "Talk to Me" (Antonina Armato, Junior Vasquez) – 4:48
5. "The River" (Bennett-Smith) – 4:28
6. "You Don't Own Me" (Ron Fair, Wild Orchid, Matthew Wilder)– 4:23
7. "My Tambourine" (Sandstrom, Wild Orchid) – 4:30
8. "Follow Me" (Bennett-Smith, Wild Orchid) – 4:15
9. "He's Alright" (Fabian Cook, Fair, Sandstrom, Wild Orchid) – 5:15
10. "Love Will Wait" (Clif Magness, Wild Orchid) – 4:05
11. "Life" (Fair, Stefanie Ridel) – 4:35

Personnel

• Stacy Ferguson - vocals, background vocals
• Stefanie Ridel - vocals, background vocals
• Renee Sandstrom - vocals, background vocals
• Micki Duran - vocals, background vocals (co-wrote At Night I Pray)

Additional personnel

• Luis Conte - percussion
• Fabian Cook - human beatbox
• Ron Fair - guitar, harmonica, bass vocals, celeste, keyboard, sound effects
• Eric Fischer - guitar
• Steve Forman - percussion
• David Frank - organ, piano, clavinet, Fender Rhodes
• John Goux - guitar
• Gary Grant - trumpet
• Jerry Hey - trumpet
• Dan Higgins - horn
• Bashiri Johnson - percussion
• Teddy Kampel - rhythm guitar
• Abraham Laboriel - bass
• Lynette Lewis - toaster
• Pete Lorimer - drums, keyboard, loops
• Al McKay - guitar
• Robbie Nevil - guitar
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. - trombone
• John "J.R." Robinson - drums
• Bobby Sandstrom - organ
• Carl Sturken - guitar
• Carlos Vega - drums
• Freddie Washington - bass
• Matthew Wilder - drums, keyboard, loops
• Larry Williams - saxophone
• Producers: Sylvia Bennett-Smith, Ron Fair, Stacy Ferguson, David Frank, Stefanie Ridel, Evan Rogers, Bobby Sandstrom, Renee Sandstrom, Carl Sturken, Junior Vasquez, Matthew Wilder
• Executive producer: Ron Fair
• Assistant producer: David Frank
• Engineers: Ron Fair, Eric Fischer, Dennis Mitchell, Michael C. Ross
• Mixing: Bob Brockman, Peter Doell, Robbes Stieglitz
• Programming: Marc Hugenberger, Pete Lorimer, Matthew Wilder
• Drum programming: Bobby Sandstrom, Carl Sturken
• Keyboard programming: Sylvia Bennett-Smith, David Frank, Joe Moskowitz, Bobby Sandstrom, Carl Sturken
• Arrangers: Sylvia Bennett-Smith, Ron Fair, David Frank, Pete Lorimer, Joe Moskowitz, Evan Rogers, Bobby Sandstrom, Carl Sturken, Matthew Wilder
• Horn arrangements: Jerry Hey
• Rhythm arrangements: Joe Moskowitz
• Vocal arrangement: Sylvia Bennett-Smith, Ron Fair, Evan Rogers, Bobby Sandstrom, Carl Sturken, Matthew Wilder
• Photography: Randee Saint Nicholas
• Art Direction: Dennis Purcell

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1997	Heatseekers	4
1997	The Billboard 200	153
1997	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	84

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1996	"At Night I Pray"	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	67
1996	"At Night I Pray"	The Billboard Hot 100	63
1996	"At Night I Pray"	Top 40 Mainstream	29
1997	"Supernatural"	The Billboard Hot 100	70
1997	"Talk to Me"	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	85
1997	"Talk to Me"	The Billboard Hot 100	48
1997	"Talk to Me"	Top 40 Mainstream	31
1997	"Talk to Me"	Billboard Maxi Single Sales	10

Awards

• 1997 Billboard Video Music Award Nomination : Best Dance/Club Clip Of The Year: Talk To Me
• 1997 Billboard Video Music Award Nomination : Best Dance/Club Clip (New Artist) : Talk To Me
• 1997 Lady Of Soul Award Nomination : Best R&B/Soul or Rap Album by Group Band Or Duo : Wild Orchid
• 1997 Lady Of Soul Award Nomination : Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video : Talk To Me