Elisa Fiorillo - Elisa Fiorillo (1987) & I Am (1990) DOUBLE POST!!

One of the albums I've had the most requests for is Elisa Fiorillo's I Am. Since I aim to please, here it is, along with her first album.  Elisa Fiorillo grew up in Philadelphia with a love of singing. This led to her appearing on and winning Star Search in 1983 at the age of 15. The combination of good looks and powerful pipes led to her being signed to Chrysalis Records a few years later. Her first recording was on the soundtrack of the film Summer School. The track, "Jackie", was also recorded that same year by Blue Zone, Lisa Stansfield's first group, and became a hit for them. Elisa also attracted the attention of super-producer and labelmate Jellybean, and she did guest vocals on two of the tracks from his Just Visiting This Planet album. The track "Who Found Who" became a top 20 Billboard hit, so Elisa quickly recorded a solo album to capitalize on it. The song "Little Too Good To Me" from Jellybean's album was included on her album as well and was released as a single as 'Elisa Fiorillo Featuring Jellybean'. It was a dance hit but didn't become a pop hit. Two more singles, "How Can I Forget You" and "Forgive Me For Dreaming", did reach the Billboard pop chart, but not the top 40. The final single, "You Don't Know", didn't chart, and Elisa's moment in the spotlight seemed over. To be honest, I was never a fan of any of the singles and didn't bother getting the album. Though she worked on the album with Jellybean and another of Madonna's collaborators, Reggie Lucas, and was appealing to Madonna's audience, her songs lacked the excitement of Madonna's work, in my opinion. But a few years later she appeared on my radar when she began working with my idol Prince. She recorded her follow up at his Paisley Park studios, and also did back-up vocals on some of his songs. The album was mainly produced by Paisley Park stalwart David Z., and it was much funkier and Prince-influenced. The first single, "On The Way Up", became her biggest hit, reaching the Billboard Top 30. But although she seemed destined for greater success, the follow-up single, the Prince-produced "Oooh This I Need", barely dented the Top 100 and Elisa once again faded from view. She did keep busy doing backing vocals and jingles over the years, as well as concentrating on being a mom. She managed to release three more independent albums - the poppier Undecided in 2001, and the jazz-inflected Teach Me Tonight in 2002 and Labour Of Love in 2006/7. Also in 2007 she released the independent country album Light That Shines, under the moniker E.J. Dease, taking her husband's last name. She continues to record new material to this day, including a couple of collaborative albums. For more info on her recent music, go HERE. She also hooked up with Prince again in 2009, appearing with him as a backing vocalist on The Tonight Show, and continued on as a permanent member of his band the New Power Generation.  You can also see her perform weekly in Las Vegas with the Bruce Harper Big Band.

Video for How Can I Forget You

Live performance of Forgive Me For Dreaming

Download Elisa Fiorillo

1		You Don't Know
2		How Can I Forget You
3		Gimme Special Love
4		Forgive Me For Dreaming
5		Do Something Foolish
6		Little Too Good To Me
7		More Than Love
8		Headin' For A Heartache
9		Lover's Prayer
10		Two Times Love

Video for On The Way Up

Live performance of Ooh This I Need

Download I Am

1		I Am
2		On The Way Up
3		Out Of My Mind
4		Playgirl
5		Love's No Fun
6		Ooh This I Need
7		Ain't Right
8		Something So Strong
9		Don't Change
10		Purpose In Your Life