Editing Shanice

{{Short description|American singer-songwriter, rapper, actress and dancer}}
{{about|the singer|her self-titled album|Shanice (album){{!}}''Shanice'' (album)|the feminine name|Shanice (given name)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Shanice
| image              = 
| birth_name         = Shanice Lorraine Wilson
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1973|5|14}}
| birth_place        = [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| caption            = Shanice in 2010
| other_names        = Shanice Wilson
| occupation         = {{Flat list|
*Singer
*songwriter
*rapper
*record producer
*actress
*dancer
*composer
*keyboardist
}}
| years_active       = 1984–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Flex Alexander]]|2000}}
| children           = 2
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background         = solo_singer
|instrument = Vocals
|genre = {{Flat list|
*[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]
*[[Soul music|soul]]
*[[New jack swing]]
}}
|label = [[A&M Records|A&M]]<small> (1986&ndash;1988)</small><br/>[[Motown]]<small> (1990&ndash;1997)</small><br/>[[LaFace]]<small> (1997&ndash;2000)</small><br/>Imajah / PlayTyme<small> (2005&ndash;present)</small> <br/>Heritage Music Group <small> (2018&ndash;Present)</small>
|website =
}}
}}

'''Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox'''<ref>Capretto, Lisa. [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/90s-singer-friend-soul-mate_us_57994606e4b01180b531b0d1 "The Exact Moment This '90s Singer Realized Her Friend Was Actually Her Soul Mate."] www.huffpost.com, July 29, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2019.</ref> (née '''Wilson'''; born May 14, 1973) <ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=ci7aAAAAMAAJ&q=shanice+may+14+1973&dq=shanice+may+14+1973&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj74Nm8xvGLAxXg5MkDHcZjHsIQ6AF6BAgFEAM</ref><ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=RA3-PA1741&dq=shanice+may+14+1973&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj74Nm8xvGLAxXg5MkDHcZjHsIQ6AF6BAgMEAM</ref>is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and dancer. She had the ''Billboard'' hit singles "[[I Love Your Smile]]" and "[[Silent Prayer]]" in 1991 and "[[Saving Forever for You]]" in 1993. In 1999, Shanice scored another hit song with "[[When I Close My Eyes (Shanice song)|When I Close My Eyes]]", which peaked at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. She is recognized for her [[coloratura soprano]] voice and her ability to sing in the [[whistle register]].<ref name=chart>[http://americanmusicchannel.com/artists/shanice "American Music Channel: Shanice."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113185757/http://americanmusicchannel.com/artists/shanice |date=November 13, 2011}}</ref>

==Early life==
Shanice Lorraine Wilson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and she moved to Los Angeles with her mother Crystal and her aunt Penni. Her mother and aunt went to Los Angeles in pursuit of careers in the music industry. They shifted their focus to Shanice and formed the management company Crystal Penni to cultivate and promote her talents. Shanice was age nine when she appeared in a [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]] commercial with jazz vocalist [[Ella Fitzgerald]].<ref name=chart/> In 1984, she was part of the regular cast in the first thirteen episodes of the children's program ''[[Kids Incorporated]].'' Shanice competed on ''[[Star Search]]'' at age eleven, and later signed with [[A&M Records]].<ref name=ew>[https://atlantablackstar.com/2013/12/26/8-artist-who-made-it-big-after-performing-on-star-search/3/ "8 Artists Who Made It Big After Performing on 'Star Search'."] ''www.atlantablackstar.com'', December 26, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2019.</ref>

==Recording career==
In 1987, at the age of 14, A&M Records released her debut album ''[[Discovery (Shanice album)|Discovery]]''. It produced two top-ten R&B hits: "(Baby Tell Me) Can You Dance" and "No ½ Steppin'".<ref name=ew /><ref name="billboard">[https://www.billboard.com/music/shanice/chart-history "Shanice: Singles Chart History."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028162152/https://www.billboard.com/music/shanice/chart-history |date=October 28, 2019 }} billboard.com. Retrieved August 7, 2008.</ref> Shanice signed a deal with [[Motown Records]] in the summer of 1990, releasing ''[[Inner Child (album)|Inner Child]]'' in late 1991, which included her best-known hit single "[[I Love Your Smile]]". It reached the top-ten in 22 countries, including the U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref name="billboard" /> The album also featured a cover of [[Minnie Riperton]]'s 1974 hit "[[Lovin' You]]", a rendition that brought attention to her three-and-a-half octave vocal range.<ref>[[Lynn Norment|Norment, Lynn]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=6MsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 "The Lives And Loves of New Pop Divas."] ''Ebony'', November 1993. 42. ''Google Books.'' Retrieved August 12, 2013.</ref> In 1993, [[Kenny Loggins]] featured Shanice on his live album ''[[Outside: From the Redwoods]]''.

In 1994, Shanice released the album ''[[21... Ways to Grow]]'', with producer [[Rhett Lawrence]], a [[session musician]] and [[Earth Wind & Fire]] guitarist Dick Smith. This effort was followed by a move to [[LaFace Records]] in 1997, which later released the 1999 album ''[[Shanice (album)|Shanice]].'' Additionally, she has contributed to various film soundtracks, such as ''Boomerang'' ("Don't Wanna Love You") and ''The Meteor Man'' ("It's for You"). Achieving success with her top-ten hit "[[Saving Forever for You]]", from the ''[[Beverly Hills 90210 (soundtrack)|Beverly Hills 90210 Soundtrack]]'',<ref name="billboard" /> Shanice later recorded "[[If I Never Knew You]]", a duet with [[Jon Secada]], for the original soundtrack of Disney's 1995 film ''[[Pocahontas (1995 film)|Pocahontas]].'' While still with Motown, she also recorded a cover version of "[[If I Were Your Woman (song)|If I Were Your Woman]]" by [[Gladys Knight & the Pips]]. [[Tami Roman]] and the fellow members of her R&B group quartet Female provided the backing vocals in the song, released via the ''[[Panther (film)|Panther]]'' [[Panther (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] on May 2, 1995, weeks before the ''Pocahontas'' [[Pocahontas (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] was released on May 30.

Shanice occasionally does background vocals for other artists; she can be heard on [[Toni Braxton]]'s "Come on Over Here" and "[[Un-Break My Heart]]",<ref>Hogan, Ed. [https://www.allmusic.com/song/un-break-my-heart-mt0012036024 "Toni Braxton: Un-Break My Heart"] www.allmusic.com. Retrieved October 26, 2019.</ref> as well as [[Usher (entertainer)|Usher]]'s [[Bedtime (song)|"Bedtime"]]. In 2010, she performed vocals on the track "[[Behind the Mask (Michael Jackson song)|Behind the Mask]]" from [[Michael Jackson]]'s posthumous album ''[[Michael (Michael Jackson album)|Michael]]''. She recorded the song "A Midnight Rendezvous" for the 2012 [[Kinect]] game '' Rhythm Party''. She also performed "Love Is the Gift", the English theme song for the video game ''[[The Bouncer (video game)|The Bouncer]]''. Shanice returned to recording after a five-year hiatus and released her album ''[[Every Woman Dreams]]'' on her own label Imajah (named for her two children).<ref>Williams-Wheeler, Dorrie. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080723220952/http://www.imissthe80s.com/shanicewilsoninterview.htm "Shanice Wilson Interview."] ''www.imissthe80s.com'', 2006. ''Wayback Machine.'' Retrieved October 29, 2019.</ref> The album peaked at No. 30 on the R&B Albums Chart.<ref name="billboard" />

In 2019, Shanice returned with the single "He Won't".<ref>[http://youknowigotsoul.com/shanice-returns-with-new-single-he-wont "Shanice Returns With New Single 'He Won't.'"] ''www.youknowigotsoul.com'', March 17, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.</ref> In 2022, she was selected to sing the theme song of the ''[[Sesame Street]]'' spinoff series ''[[Mecha Builders]]'' alongside [[Eric Bellinger]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccl2NDKF_it/|title=Shanice on Instagram: "I have an exciting announcement to make! I'm singing the new theme song...|website=Instagram}}</ref>

==Acting and other appearances==
In addition to singing, Shanice is also an actress, first appearing in "Rock Enroll", a season five episode of ''[[Family Matters]]''.<ref>{{Citation|last=Tracy|first=John|title=Rock Enroll|date=January 7, 1994|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0577184/|others=Reginald VelJohnson, Jo Marie Payton, Rosetta LeNoire|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> In 2001, she made an appearance as a singer on her husband Flex's TV show ''[[One on One (American TV series)|One on One]]''. That same year, she starred in the TV movie '' One Special Moment,''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275569/|title=One Special Moment (2001)|publisher=IMDb|access-date=May 25, 2014}}</ref> an adaptation of [[Brenda Jackson]]'s 1998 novel of the same name.

In 1997, Shanice became the first Black performer to star in the role of [[Eponine]] in the musical ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'' on Broadway.<ref>{{IBDB name|id=83896}}</ref> In 2011, she joined [[Niecy Nash]] and [[Frenchie Davis]] for the 21st Annual "Divas Simply Singing" HIV/AIDS charity event.<ref>{{cite web|title=Divas Dish: Niecy Nash, Shanice Wilson and Frenchie Davis|website=BET |url=https://www.bet.com/article/wzln0e/divas-dish-niecy-nash-shanice-wilson-and-frenchie-davis|access-date=November 24, 2012}}</ref> Shanice and her husband, Flex, also starred in the reality show ''[[Flex & Shanice]]'', which premiered on the [[Oprah Winfrey Network]] on November 1, 2014.

In 2021, Shanice appeared as herself, performing on the Ladies First tour with [[Kelly Price]] and [[Chanté Moore]] during season 2 episode 10 of the TV series [[First Wives Club (TV series)|First Wives Club]].

==Personal life==
On February 19, 2000, Shanice married actor and comedian [[Flex Alexander]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20148271,00.html|title=Flex Appeal|last=Dougherty|first=Steve |date=October 6, 2003|magazine=People|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref> They have two children, daughter Imani Shekinah Knox (born August 23, 2001) and son Elijah Alexander Knox (born March 5, 2004).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_4_59/ai_112861722|title=10 hottest couples|date=February 2007|magazine=Ebony|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Shanice discography}}

;Studio albums
* ''[[Discovery (Shanice album)|Discovery]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Inner Child (album)|Inner Child]]'' (1991)
* ''[[21... Ways to Grow]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Shanice (album)|Shanice]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Every Woman Dreams]]'' (2006)

==Awards==

===Grammy Awards===

The [[Grammy Awards]] (originally called the Gramophone Awards) — or Grammys – are presented annually by the [[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards of more popular interest are presented in a widely viewed televised ceremony.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Award
!Result
|-
| [[1993 Grammy Awards|1993]] || [[I Love Your Smile]] || [[Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]] || {{nom}}
|}

===Golden Lion Award===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Award
!Result
!Ref
|-
| 1993 || Shanice || Best International Artist || {{won}} ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Shanice%20Wilson.html|title=Shanice Wilson Page|website=soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=May 25, 2019}}</ref>
|}

===Soul Train Music Awards===
The [[Soul Train Music Awards]] is an annual award show aired that honors the best in Black music and entertainment.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Award
!Result
|-
| [[1988 Soul Train Music Awards|1988]] || Shanice || [[Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]] || {{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p26058}}
* {{discogs artist|artist=Shanice}}
* {{IMDb name|0005413}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030712035253/http://jayzee.de/en/index.html All about Shanice]

{{Shanice}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:African-American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:African-American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American child singers]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:American women pop singers]]
[[Category:American women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:American sopranos]]
[[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:American dance-pop musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Singers with a three-octave vocal range]]
[[Category:Motown artists]]
[[Category:A&M Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women singers]]