Before her she released her debut album, Helsinki-based retro-contemporary soul singer, songwriter, and producer
Nicole Willis gained experience in the music industry through performing guest and background vocals for a diverse list of artists, including
Deee-Lite,
The The, and
Leftfield. More significantly, the Brooklyn native was a member of
Repercussions, an early Mo Wax outfit that debuted in 1992 and released an album for Warner Bros. in 1995. A few years later,
Willis was finally showcased on her own with
Soul Makeover (2000), a hybrid set of downtempo, house, and contemporary R&B co-produced with husband
Jimi Tenor and
Maurice Fulton. After the similar Be It (2004), she teamed up with Finland band
the Soul Investigators for a series of releases deeply rooted in traditional soul:
Keep Reachin' Up (2005), Tortured Soul (2013), and the relatively upbeat and varied Happiness in Every Style (2015). Recorded with the Finnish
UMO Jazz Orchestra and arranged by
Tenor, My Name Is Nicole Willis (2017) combined new versions of past works with freshly written material. ~ Diana Potts