(I think this is 1 of the girls from Milena who toured with him in
2001 on hit n run shows as an opening act.-j7)

http://www.nashvillecityp...index.cfm?
section_id=12&screen=news&news_id=51755

Onetime Prince backup vocalist returns to first musical love
By Ron Wynn, rwynn@nashvillecitypaper.com
August 27, 2006

Like numerous other performers, dynamic and exciting vocalist Niyoki
got her start singing in church. But she eventually became one of
the nation's top background singers as a secular artist, heavily in
demand due to her stylistic flexibility and overall exemplary
technique. After working with such performers as Boyz II Men and R.
Kelly, she became a prominent part of Prince's ensemble, touring and
recording with him throughout 2002.

But while she was becoming quite successful doing R&B, soul and
funk, those genres weren't really what Niyoki enjoyed. She's now
returned to her true love, writing and performing inspirational
material with a modern sensibility and sound. She'll be performing
numbers from her new Contemporary Christian CD My Everything (D2G)
tonight during her CD release party at Rocketown. The disc will be
formally released nationwide Tuesday.

"I've been singing since the age of 6, and have been blessed by God
with the gift of music," Niyoki said. "But now I'm really happy
about doing songs that can uplift and inspire people, particularly
young people. What I'm doing is 100 percent a ministry, because all
the songs now are a reflection of my experience, and my desire to
both praise God and also reach audiences on his behalf."

My Everything also blends current and vintage elements in its
selections. The title track reflects a jazz tinge in its
arrangement, while "Yes Lord" is a soaring a cappella number that
showcases her range and vocal authority, and "Dance and Praise"
augments her fierce lead with a striking, groove-centered
foundation. However, she also includes the traditional
number "Amazing Grace" and the more straightforward "Praise Time."

"I love hymns and spirituals, but you can't expect young people
who've grown up hearing other things on the radio to be immediately
attracted by the older styles," Niyoki said. "My belief is that the
most important thing in gospel music is the message. I don't attack
or exclude a particular style just because it's not a traditional
thing. There's a whole generation out there that doesn't know
anything about classic gospel music, but they can still be reached
with a contemporary sound that still can have a positive, optimistic
message."

With gospel and Contemporary Christian music among the few genres
enjoying improved sales results in 2006, Niyoki admitted there's a
lot more promotion, exposure and opportunity for gospel acts than
she ever anticipated.

"But to be truthful, I never really thought about singing gospel in
terms of profit or dollars," Niyoki said. "It was always about the
music and expressing my love of God in song. It's been rewarding to
see the music's growth and popularity, but that's just a bonus."