Maxine Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maxine Jones
Jones performing at Soul of Pride, 2019
Background information
Born	(1962-01-16) January 16, 1962 (age 63) Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Origin	Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Atlantic East West Elektra

Maxine Jones (born January 16, 1962) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She is famous for being a founding member of the R&B and pop group En Vogue. This group is one of the best-selling girl groups ever.

Maxine sang the main parts on some of En Vogue's most famous songs. These include "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Don't Let Go (Love)". Both songs were huge hits around the world and sold over a million copies each. Throughout her career, Maxine Jones has sold more than 20 million records with En Vogue. She has also won many awards. These include two American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, four MTV Video Music Awards, and four Soul Train Music Awards.

Biography

Early life

Maxine Jones was born in Paterson, New Jersey. When she was 5 years old, her mother passed away. At 15, Maxine moved to Oakland, California, with her three sisters. Before becoming a singer, she worked in a hair salon.

1989–2011: Joining En Vogue

Jones (second from the left) performing with En Vogue during their reunion tour, 2009

In 1988, music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy chose Maxine Jones to be in a new girl group. They also picked Dawn Robinson and Cindy Herron. Later, Terry Ellis joined them, making it a group of four. They decided to call themselves En Vogue.

The group started recording their first album in 1989. In 1990, they released their first song, "Hold On". It quickly became a number one hit on the R&B charts. Later that year, their first album, Born to Sing, came out. It sold a million copies in the United States.

Big hits and success

En Vogue released their second album, Funky Divas, in 1992. This album sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. The first song from the album was "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)". Maxine sang the main part on this song. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also hit number one on the R&B chart.

Another song, "Give It Up, Turn It Loose", also featured Maxine's voice. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. Maxine also sang on "Free Your Mind". This song won two MTV Video Music Awards. In 1993, En Vogue released an EP called Runaway Love. It included the hit song "Whatta Man" with Salt-N-Pepa. Maxine sang on this song, which sold over a million copies.

Changes and new music

In 1996, En Vogue released "Don't Let Go (Love)". Maxine sang a main part on this song too. It was on the soundtrack for the movie Set It Off. This song became the group's biggest hit, reaching number one around the world. It sold over 1.8 million copies.

After this huge success, the group started working on their third album. In 1997, Dawn Robinson decided to leave the group. En Vogue then re-recorded their album, with Maxine singing more of the main parts. In June 1997, their third album, EV3, was released and sold very well.

In 2000, they released their fourth album, Masterpiece Theatre. The next year, Maxine left En Vogue to spend time with her family. She later returned to the group. Maxine continued to perform with En Vogue until 2012.

2012–2013: New groups

In 2012, Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson announced they were forming a new group called Heirs to the Throne. They performed together with another singer, Shaunté Usual. The next year, Maxine and Dawn went their separate ways. Maxine then started her own group called "En Vogue to the Max". There was a disagreement about using the "En Vogue" name, but Maxine continued with her music.

2014–2018: Solo career

In 2014, Maxine started working on her first solo album, To the Max. She released a song called "Didn't I" in May 2014. In 2015, Maxine started her own radio show called "Max Radio". She also toured for a play called "Suspicion, Lies, and Death by Pies!" in 2016.

In 2017, Maxine announced she would release a book called "A Smart Girls Guide to Girl Groups". She also released a new version of "Don't Let Go (Love)" as a duet with Australian singer Greg Gould.

In 2019, Maxine reunited with En Vogue for a special performance. This was the first time all five original members performed together. Later in 2019, Maxine and Dawn Robinson toured as "The Funky Divas" but stopped performing together in 2020.

In November 2022, Maxine released a new song called "Not Your Freak" with Big Freedia.

Artistry

Voice and songwriting

Maxine Jones has a wide vocal range. She is trained as a soprano, which is a high singing voice. In En Vogue, Maxine often sang the lower harmony parts of their songs. She also sang the main parts on many of their biggest hits. These include "Whatta Man", "Don't Let Go (Love)", "Give It Up, Turn It Loose", and "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)". Maxine also helped write many of the group's songs.

Influences

Maxine Jones says that Chaka Khan is her biggest musical inspiration. She also looks up to singers like Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Patti LaBelle. Maxine's music style comes from R&B and classic soul music.

Discography

Singles

• "Didn't I" (2014)
• "Don't Let Go (Love)" (with Greg Gould) (2017)
• "Not Your Freak" (featuring Big Freedia) (2022)

Filmography

Films

TV appearances

Theatre appearances