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Saturday, August 27, 2022

"Secret Rendezvous" by Karyn White

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  3913
Date:  08/27/1989
Debut:  83
Peak:  6
Weeks:  21
Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop, New Jack Swing


Pop Bits:  White's self-titled debut album had already generated a pair of Pop Top 10 hits including the #8 gold selling ballad "Superwoman." That song debuted on the Pop chart while it was spending one of its three weeks atop the R&B chart. With pop radio lagging behind and R&B ready for more, White's label chose to quickly push out another single that would mainly be targeted at R&B radio. "Love Saw It," a duet between White and Babyface, would go on to become White's third straight #1 at R&B (it would not chart at Pop). When that tune reached the top of the R&B chart, "Superwoman" had just reached its peak at Pop. As the songs descended the charts, this next single was issued out to both radio formats. It would be another success reaching #4 R&B, #6 Pop, and #1 Dance. A fifth and final single, "Slow Down," would get released, but it only got to #36 R&B. The album, which had reached #1 R&B/#19 Pop, would become a platinum seller.

ReduxReview:  White returned to the dance-pop sound of her first single with this track and it paid off well. Its new jack swing style was perfect for the time and having a good hooky chorus didn't hurt. It was every bit as good as "The Way You Love Me" and was able to even peak a notch higher. She hit  a winning formula with L.A. Reid and Babyface so it was a little surprising she didn't stay with them for her second album (see below).

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  White would return in 1991 with her second album Ritual of Love. Instead of staying with the L.A.. Reid/Babyface team for the LP, White would make a switch and mainly work with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (White and Lewis would marry in '92). Its first single, "Romantic," would end up being her biggest chart hit reaching #1 at both R&B and Pop while getting to #6 Dance and #37 AC. That set the album up quite well for success, but then subsequent singles didn't click as well with only "The Way I Feel About You" doing anything reaching #12 Pop/#5 R&B. The results left the album peaking at #7 R&B/#53 Pop and only going gold. Her third LP, 1994's Make Him Do Right, sold a few copies (#22 R&B/#99 Pop) and featured her last R&B Top 10 single. It seems that White then decided to take a break from the music business to focus on her family. She would return to music in 2012 with the album Carpe Diem.

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