Editing En Vogue (section)

===2000–2003: ''Masterpiece Theatre'' and new member===
''[[Masterpiece Theatre (En Vogue album)|Masterpiece Theatre]]'', the group's fourth studio album, was released in May 2000. Their first project with [[Elektra Records]], the trio worked exclusively with their founders on the album who made heavy use of [[sample (music)|samples]] from classical music and traditional pop music to construct songs for recording.<ref name="bb1"/> Preceded by leading single "[[Riddle (En Vogue song)|Riddle]]", the album received a mixed reception from critics upon its release, who were divided by its overall sound, and became a commercial disappointment, reaching number 33 on the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]] chart and number 67 on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] only.<ref name="vibe2003">{{cite web|first=Ana|last=Martinez|title=Arithmetricks|work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1SYEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22MASTERPIECE+THEATRE%22+%22FLOPPED%22+%22EN+VOGUE%22&pg=PA64|date=May 1, 2003|access-date=March 10, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016020552/https://books.google.com/books?id=1SYEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22MASTERPIECE+THEATRE%22+%22FLOPPED%22+%22EN+VOGUE%22&pg=PA64|url-status=dead}}</ref> While ''Masterpiece Theatre'' and "Riddle" fared better in international territories, its poor performance resulted in the release of no further singles from the album and the band was soon dropped from the Elektra company.<ref name="vibe2003"/>

In 2001, Jones had announced her desire to spend more time with her daughter and departed the group.<ref name="billboard2002">{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Bits: En Vogue; Shaggy, Angie Martinez|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/73720/billboard-bits-en-vogue-shaggy-angie-martinez|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=October 24, 2002|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref> With Ellis and Herron wanting to continue performing En Vogue, singer-songwriter Amanda Cole joined as a performing member after submitting a demo.<ref name="billboard2002"/> The following year, Ellis, Herron, and Cole collaborated with Timothy Eaton on the holiday album ''[[The Gift of Christmas (En Vogue album)|The Gift of Christmas]]'', featuring four original songs and eight cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. Released in fall 2002 through Discretion Records, it failed to chart.<ref name="albumism">{{cite web|first=Quentin|last=Harrison |title=INTERVIEW: En Vogue's Cindy Herron-Braggs, Forever a Funky Diva |url=http://www.albumism.com/interviews/en-vogue-cindy-herron-braggs-forever-a-funky-diva|website=Albumism.com|date=March 23, 2017|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref> In December 2002, the trio gave a concert at the [[Alabama State Fairgrounds]] in Birmingham, Alabama which was recorded and released, along with bonus footage, on a DVD and live album through [[Charly Records]] in 2004.<ref name="albumism"/> Cole, who felt increasingly limited vocally and creatively, decided to leave the band in favor of a solo career soon after,<ref name="indiegator">{{cite web|title=Veteran Vocalist Amanda Cole Talks Breaking the MoldMartinez|url=http://theindiegatormag.com/2015/03/10/veteran-vocalist-amanda-cole-talks-breaking-the-mold/2/|website=TheIndieFatorMag.com|date=March 10, 2015|access-date=March 10, 2018|archive-date=March 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311140620/http://theindiegatormag.com/2015/03/10/veteran-vocalist-amanda-cole-talks-breaking-the-mold/2/|url-status=dead}}</ref> with singer and actress [[Rhona Bennett]] joining after being recommended to Denzel Foster through a mutual friend and songwriting partner.<ref name="albumism"/>