Wild Orchid (album)


Wild Orchid is the self-titled debut album by American group Wild Orchid, released on March 23, 1997. It is their most successful album.

Production

After signing a recording contract with RCA Records, the trio wrote and recorded songs throughout 1995 with the help of Renee's songwriter brother Bobby Sandstrom. The album took approximately nine months to complete.

Release and promotion

They released their debut single "At Night I Pray" on September 3, 1996, with the album due for an October 29, 1996 release. However, it was postponed and was released on March 23, 1997, in the midst of the popularity of their second single "Talk to Me".
The album debuted with its highest chart position in Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart at #153. It has sold 1,000,000 copies worldwide.
The album also received two Billboard Music Award nominations for "Talk to Me" and two Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nominations - one for Album of the Year By a Group, Band or Duo and one for Best Music Video for "Talk to Me". The group also received an American Music Award for Favorite R&B/Soul Artist.

Promotion

Wild Orchid spent 1996 and 1997 promoting their debut album. They made appearances on Soul Train, Ricki Lake, Access Hollywood, MTV, Wild On!, The RuPaul Show,
Hard Copy, The HitList with Tarzan Dan, Vibe, Mad TV, The Pat Bullard Show, , Terry Bradshaw, Crook and Chase, The Jenny Jones Show, Electric Circus and Goode Behavior. The group even toured with 98 Degrees and 'N Sync across the U.S., Canada and Asia.
The singles "At Night I Pray", "Talk to Me" and "Supernatural" all garnered substantial radio airplay, all appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.
Dance remixes of "Follow Me" and "I Won't Play the Fool" were released in May 1998 and became popular in underground clubs. The "I Won't Play the Fool" remix landed on the Top 10 Dance Remixes Chart of 1998 in Billboard magazine.

Track listing

  1. "At Night I Pray" – 4:16
  2. "Supernatural" – 4:38
  3. "I Won't Play the Fool" – 4:26
  4. "Talk to Me" – 4:48
  5. "The River" – 4:28
  6. "You Don't Own Me" – 4:23
  7. "My Tambourine" – 4:30
  8. "Follow Me" – 4:15
  9. "He's Alright" – 5:15
  10. "Love Will Wait" – 4:05
  11. "Life" – 4:35

    Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.
Album - Billboard
YearChartPosition
1997Heatseekers4
1997The Billboard 200153
1997Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums84

Singles - Billboard
YearSingleChartPosition
1996"At Night I Pray"The Billboard Hot 10063
1996"At Night I Pray"Mainstream Top 4029
1996"At Night I Pray"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales49
1996"At Night I Pray"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs67
1996"At Night I Pray"R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs86
1997"Talk to Me"The Billboard Hot 10048
1997"Talk to Me"Billboard Maxi Single Sales10
1997"Talk to Me"Dance Singles Sales10
1997"Talk to Me"Mainstream Top 4031
1997"Talk to Me"Rhythmic Songs33
1997"Talk to Me"Radio Songs63
1997"Talk to Me"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales66
1997"Talk to Me"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs85
1997"Supernatural"The Billboard Hot 10070
1997"Supernatural"Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs5
1998"I Won't Play the Fool "Billboard Dance Charts5

Accolades