Before Dark

Before Dark is:

Mia
Arike
Jeni G.

Supertalented young ladies who deliver a powerful, diverse mix of sizzling R&B and blazing hip-hop flavor with their debut RCA Records album release, DAYDREAMIN’, Before Dark is poised on the brink of stardom. Named “notable newcomers in music” by USA Today newspaper, the trio are veterans of the business despite their young age, consistently delivering cool, contemporary beats in a youthful, yet timeless fashion.

Throughout, DAYDREAMIN’ pulsates with golden voices, bangin’ beats, serious slow jams and a plethora of passionate lyrics. Each song depicts various levels of romance, a subject about which the obviously “wise beyond their years” threesome nonetheless admits that they still have a lot to learn about. “We may be young and inexperienced in the deeper aspects of love relationships,” says Arike, but we know how it feels to really care about a guy, and the happiness and pain that goes with it.” “So, when we sing about all the different stages of being with someone, ” Jeni G. interjects, “it’s coming from honest feeling and real emotion, but not necessarily actual experience.”

Before Dark gave the world a taste of DAYDREAMIN’ and what was to come for their year 2000 album debut, with 1999 hit singles, “Come Correct” and “Baby” (the latter produced by hitmaker She’kspere). Those two songs set the stage for the album’s lead-off single, the techno-Latin flavored “Monica.” Written by Lil’ Mo (a Missy Elliott protege) and produced by Marc Kinchen, the rhythmic tune deals with the popular “she’s trying to take my man” issue. The group’s punchy, finessed female funk is also on display with some other prime LP cuts; of special note are “Daydream,” a harmony-fueled mid-tempo masterpiece, produced by Greg Curtis; “Always On My Mind,” a beautifully delivered R&B ballad of extreme quality and emotion, produced by Big Baby; “All About You,” another potent Before Dark passion play, co-produced by Tricky Stewart (who also contributed to the deliciously hip-hoppish “Back Around”); “Push-N-Shove,” co-written and produced by Lil’ Mo and two up-to-the-music-moment tunes also contributed by She’kspere, “As Far As They Know” and “How Could You.” “We want to give props to everybody who helped make our first album, one we’re very happy and excited about,” acknowledged Mia, the last to join the group.

The evolution of South Central Los Angeles trio Before Dark has been relatively quick, yet unfolded smoothly, as if by some cosmic design. It’s been four years since these “baby divas” embarked on their mutual musical quest. In the beginning, there was only Arike, who at age nine, sang with the young female vocal group Voices (“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”). Following that group’s break-up, Arike’s manager eventually enlisted the vocal service of her older sister Jeni G., who up until then hadn’t seriously considered singing professionally. Searching for the perfect third voice, their manager’s daughter, Mia, then just 10 years old, completed the set — and Before Dark was born. Like the consummate professionals, they then honed their voices, developed their fashion forward style, and the rest, as they say, is history — they were signed to RCA Records.

Pretty, sassy and fierce, Mia, Arike and Jeni G. are all excellent students (Jeni G. attends USC), who dream of one day owning and running their own record label. But first comes today — they’ve done their homework and are ready to conquer the music scene. And the charismatic, down-to-earth trio agrees that they’re up for the challenge. “Like Mia, Arike and I were raised by a mother who taught us to be confident and determined to win,” advises Jeni G. “So for us to be in the position we’re in, means we’ve got to be focused, work hard, but still have fun.”

Before Dark’s name stems from their shared goal of living each day to the fullest and striving to achieve as much as possible before the symbolic sun of their youth sets. They are certain to take their place in the brightly shining new millennium of the R&B/hip-hop soul landscape, alongside groups such as 702 and Destiny’s Child. (Imagine, if you will…If Brandy was triplet, the vocal group she and her sisters would make…Before Dark?)

These super-talented young ladies possess strong, wide-ranging voices, an energetic, fresh visual presentation and the determination to succeed, all of which are sure to take Before Dark into the “star light”!