Most Underrated Black Female Singers

10. Andrea MartinThe `90s were frustrating for me when I was Music Editor at Urban Network magazine because I witnessed firsthand so many super talented artists get lost along the way. In addition to several of the above mentioned was Andrea Martin whom I wrote a cover story on for her one and only Arista Records project, The Best of Me (1998), led by her single from the soundtrack of the Black female action film “Set it Off.” Here was a beautiful, dark-skinned sister with a powerful voice who co-composed her own material (mostly with longtime partner Ivan Mattias) in a style all her own that blended light Reggae, Pop, Techno Soul and light Hip Hop that had Pop crossover potential for days. I mean, she had songs that wouldn’t be out of place on an Eagles or Fleetwood Mac album. At the same time, she was living her best life as a songwriter penning hits for Toni Braxton (“I Love Me Some Him”), En Vogue [“Don’t Let Go (Love)”], Monica (“Before You Walk Out of My Life”), SWV (“You’re The One”) all the way up to Fantasia (“Lose to Win”). To this day I’m unclear as to whether she became disillusioned by the way her album was handled/received or if she simply felt that she was happier behind the scenes in the lucrative writing/producing world. What I do overstand is that her album was strong enough to leave one wanting more…at least from time to time. I hope she becomes so inspired.– A. Scott Galloway