Born in 1974 in Barataria, Trinidad where her parents were pastors in the local Church of God, Heather Headley's life is the stuff of Broadway legend.
She moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana at age 15, studied theater at Northwestern University, and landed a role in the pre-Broadway cast of the musical Ragtime. Soon she was given the part of Nala, a lioness, in The Lion King. She moved from there to another Disney-concocted Elton John score, Aida, for which she won a Tony award. Heather has co-starred memorably with Brian Stokes Mitchell in a brief revival run of the Jule Styne/Comden & Green musical Do Re Mi, and was splendid in the much-publicized concert revival recording of Dreamgirls.
Her forthright, unadorned star quality — a natural aristocracy — came through in each of these performances. Yet this, her first solo album, is really her first opportunity to express herself directly, rather than through a character. The result is Heather definitely getting her groove back. Hovering on the edge of the dance floor, she is drawn to realness and funk, with influences from calypso, soca, reggae, and R&B.
To make the transition from the formulaic lyric sweetness of Elton to this distinctly more soulful stuff, she enlisted the help of producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin, and perhaps most significantly, the Jamaican reggae deejay Chuckie Star, who contributes a sincere vocal on the track "Fallin' for You," adding to the atmosphere. Indeed, there is atmosphere aplenty in this savory mix of slow and upbeat tunes, some co-written by Heather Headley herself, like the poignant "Sista Girl." This is where Heather Headley is at, and her multitude of fans will be delighted to know it.
– Cleon Alert