TLC

Formed in 1991 by Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, TLC were quick to find a record deal, singing with L.A. Reid and Babyface’s new label, LaFace. Only a year after their formation, the group released their debut album, “Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip,” capturing the nation’s attention with their lively tracks and colorful image.

Yet despite this success, life wasn’t easy for the group, after Lopes was charged with arson and received five years probation for burning down her partner’s (NFL wide receiver, Andre Rison) Atlanta mansion. Despite the bad publicity, their second album, “CrazySexyCool” did not suffer in its reception, with the more mature release finding a number one hit in “Creep,” along with a number of Top Five singles in 1994. With the single “Waterfalls” spending seven weeks at number one, TLC were one of the biggest names in pop, selling over 11 million copies of their album and rounding out the year with a Grammy Award for ‘Best R&B Album.’

Financial difficulties dampened this euphoria, with TLC filing for bankruptcy only a year later. Subsequent years were spent settling their financial affairs, not releasing a new album until 1999, with “Fantail.” The album went straight to number one, eventually selling six times Platinum, as well as winning another Grammy for ‘Best R&B Album’ once again. Subsequently, tensions between the trio became public, with the stars often appearing in the tabloid press.

Work on a new album became challenging, due to Lopes’ solo commitments, as well as Watkins’ illness, who suffered from Sickle Cell Anaemia. Tragedy was soon to befall TLC, after Lopes was killed in a car accident in Honduras, not long after she had signed a new solo contract with Suge Knight’s label, The Row. The surviving members decided to continue, completing their third album, “3D” in 2002, featuring production from a host of names, including Timbaland, Missy Elliot and longtime producer Dallas Austin. The album went double-Platinum, continuing to find TLC commercial success.

In 2003, Watkins and Thomas performed at New York’s Zootropia concert, hinted to be their last performance. After a brief jaunt into reality T.V., the duo decided to return as TLC in 2009, planning a new record. “20” was released in 2013, an anthology of their hits, including a new song, “Meant To Be,” a track written by Ne-Yo. Their career was then memorialised by VH1, in their movie, “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story.”