TLC (group) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
TLC
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TLC in 1999; left to right: Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
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| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990–present |
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TLC is a famous American girl group that started in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1990. The original members were Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. Later, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas joined them, and they became a trio.
TLC became very successful in the 1990s. They had nine songs that reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. Four of these songs became number-one hits: "Creep", "Waterfalls", "No Scrubs", and "Unpretty". They also released four albums that sold millions of copies, including CrazySexyCool (1994), which sold over 10 million copies in the U.S.
TLC has sold more than 65 million records around the world, making them the best-selling American girl group ever. They have won many awards, including four Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and five Soul Train Music Awards. Even after Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes passed away in 2002, the group continued as a duo. In 2022, TLC was added to the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Contents
The Story of TLC
How TLC Started
In 1990, a music producer named Ian Burke in Atlanta had an idea for a new girl group. He wanted them to have a cool, hip-hop style. A teenager named Crystal Jones joined him, and they looked for two more girls. Tionne Watkins and Lisa Lopes joined the group, which was first called "2nd Nature." They started making demo songs with producers Jermaine Dupri and Rico Wade.
The group later met singer Perri "Pebbles" Reid, who had her own music company. She was impressed and renamed the group TLC. This name came from the first letters of Tionne, Lisa, and Crystal. Pebbles helped them get an audition with LaFace Records, a big record label.
Antonio "L.A." Reid, who ran LaFace Records, liked Tionne and Lisa but thought Crystal should be replaced. So, Crystal left the group. Then, Rozonda Thomas, who was a backup dancer, joined TLC in April 1991. To keep the name TLC, Tionne became "T-Boz," Lisa became "Left Eye," and Rozonda became "Chilli." The new trio then signed with LaFace Records and started working on their first album.
First Album: Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip
TLC's first album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip, came out on February 25, 1992. The songs mixed different styles like funk, hip-hop, and R&B. The album was a huge hit! It sold over four million copies in the United States.
It had three songs that made it to the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg", "Baby-Baby-Baby", and "What About Your Friends". Another song, "Hat 2 da Back", reached the top 30. The album was known for its fun lyrics and songs that made girls feel strong. T-Boz sang the main parts, Chilli sang alto, and Left Eye did the raps.
TLC also recorded a Christmas song called "Sleigh Ride" for the movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992. In 1993, they released a cover of "Get It Up" for the movie Poetic Justice.
During their first big tour, T-Boz became very sick. She had sickle-cell anemia, a blood condition she had kept secret. Her bandmates, Left Eye and Chilli, stayed with her in the hospital. T-Boz later became a spokesperson to help others with sickle cell disease.
After the tour, TLC realized they weren't earning much money. They decided to change managers to have more control over their careers. They worked out a new deal that gave them more say and a better share of their earnings.
Huge Success with CrazySexyCool
TLC's second album, CrazySexyCool, was released on November 15, 1994. It was a mix of R&B and hip-hop, with cool beats and smooth sounds. Critics loved it, and Rolling Stone magazine even called it one of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time."
CrazySexyCool sold over 7.7 million copies in the U.S. and more than 14 million worldwide! All four songs released from the album were big hits. "Creep" and "Waterfalls" both reached number one. The music video for "Waterfalls" was very popular and helped TLC win an MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year. At the 38th Annual Grammy Awards, TLC won "Best R&B Album" and "Best R&B Performance" for "Creep."
Even with all this success, the members of TLC faced financial problems. They found out they weren't getting much money from their record deal. They felt their contract was unfair because most of their earnings went to cover recording costs, travel, music videos, and other expenses. They wanted a better deal. After two years of legal discussions, they finally reached a new agreement with their record label, LaFace, in 1996. They also gained the rights to their group name, TLC.
FanMail and Group Challenges
TLC started working on their third album, FanMail, which came out in February 1999. This album was also a big success. It went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over six million copies in the U.S. and more than 10 million worldwide.
The song "No Scrubs" was a global hit, reaching number one in many countries. Their second song, "Unpretty", also became TLC's fourth number-one hit. FanMail received eight Grammy Award nominations and won three, including "Best R&B Album." TLC then went on a successful world tour called the FanMail Tour.
During this time, Left Eye felt she couldn't express herself enough in the group's songs. She wanted to do more than just rap. She even suggested that each member record a solo album to see whose would do best. However, the group eventually worked things out, and the solo album challenge never happened. After the tour, they took a break to work on their own projects.
Continuing as a Duo: After Lisa Lopes
While working on new music, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes tragically died in a car crash in Honduras on April 25, 2002. She was filming a documentary at the time. After a short break, T-Boz and Chilli decided to finish their fourth album, called 3D, using some of Left Eye's recorded vocals. The album was released on November 12, 2002.
3D debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 chart and sold two million copies in the U.S. The music video for the song "Girl Talk" showed T-Boz and Chilli in live action, with Left Eye appearing in animated parts. After this, T-Boz and Chilli decided to continue as a duo, choosing not to replace Left Eye.
In 2005, T-Boz and Chilli hosted a TV show called R U the Girl. The winner, Tiffany "O'so Krispie" Baker, got to record a song with TLC and perform with them.
Recent Years and New Music
TLC continued to perform at special events and concerts. In 2013, they received the "Legend Award" at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. To celebrate their 20th anniversary, they released an album called TLC 20, which included new versions of their old songs. They also appeared on a song called "Crooked Smile" with rapper J. Cole, which became a top-40 hit.
A TV movie about their lives, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, premiered on VH1 in October 2013. It was very popular, with 4.5 million viewers.
In 2015, TLC announced they would release their fifth and final album. They asked fans to help fund it through a website called Kickstarter. They quickly raised over $400,000, becoming the fastest-funded pop project on Kickstarter! T-Boz and Chilli said they would continue to perform together as TLC even after the album was released.
Their fifth album, also called TLC, came out on June 30, 2017. It featured the song "Way Back" with Snoop Dogg.
In recent years, TLC has continued to tour. In 2019, they went on the Whole Lotta Hits Tour with Nelly. In 2021, they started the Celebration of CrazySexyCool tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their famous album. They also performed at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2022.
TLC's Impact on Music
TLC has had a huge impact on music, especially for female groups. Many people believe they set the standard for other R&B groups to follow. Singer Beyoncé from Destiny's Child said that TLC influenced almost every female group, including Destiny's Child.
TLC was known for their unique blend of sounds and their image as strong, independent women. They also used their music to talk about important issues, like health in "Waterfalls" and self-esteem in "Unpretty." They showed that serious topics could still be popular on the music charts.
TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time, having sold 65 million records worldwide. They are also the second best-selling girl group globally, after the Spice Girls. In the U.S., they are the best-selling female singing group in history.
Members
- Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins (1990–present) – lead vocals, dancing, background vocals
- Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas (1991–present) – lead vocals, dancing, background vocals
Former
- Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (1990–2002) – rapping, dancing, background vocals
Albums
- Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip (1992)
- CrazySexyCool (1994)
- FanMail (1999)
- 3D (2002)
- TLC (2017)
Tours
Headlining Tours
- FanMail Tour (1999–2000)
- 2016 Tour (2016)
- I Love the 90s: The Party Continues Tour (2017)
- Whole Lotta Hits Tour (2019) (with Nelly)
- CeleBraTion of CrazySexyCool (2021–2022)
Special Guest Appearances
- The Main Event (2015) (with New Kids on the Block)
- Glastonbury 2022
- Love Supreme Festival 2022
Awards
See also
In Spanish: TLC (banda) para niños
- List of best-selling girl groups
