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{{Short description|American R&B and soul quartet}}
{{about|the 1990s American band|}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = For Real
| image               = For Real.JPG
| caption             = For Real, 1994.  L-R: Josina Elder-Epps, LaTanyia Baldwin, Wendi Williams, and Necia Bray-Gates.
| image_size          = 
| background          = group_or_band
| alias               = 
| origin              = 
| genre               = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[Soul music|soul]]
| years_active        = 1990&ndash;1999, 2018–present 
| label               = {{hlist|[[A&M Records|A&M]]|[[Rowdy Records|Rowdy]]|[[Arista Records|Arista]]}}
| associated_acts     = 
| website             = 
| current_members  = Wendi Williams<br />Latanyia Baldwin<br />Josina Elder-Epps<br />Necia Bray-Gates| notable_instruments = 
}}
'''For Real''' is an American [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] and [[Soul music|soul]] quartet, that formed in 1990.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9MADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36 |title=Jet |date=18 April 1994 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date=2012-04-10}}</ref> In the latter part of that decade they were nominated for a [[Billboard Music Award]] and a [[Soul Train Music Award]]. The ladies have now reunited and are touring.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/For-Real-172310593450/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Biography==
For Real secured their [[recording contract]] by accident. "We were picking up our manager from the airport. So we decided to greet him with an acappella song. Someone from A&M Records just happened to be in the airport and heard us perform. Not long after, we were signed," said Latanyia Baldwin.<ref>[http://www.alamhof.org/baldwin.htm Alamhof.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026130230/http://www.alamhof.org/baldwin.htm |date=2005-10-26 }}</ref>

The band released their debut album, ''[[It's a Natural Thang]]'', with production from [[Brian McKnight]] on [[A&M Records]] in 1994, and it became a critical success, including a rare four stars from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/137865?rnd=1138570405851&has-player=true&version=6.0.8.1024 Rollingstone.com]{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Their first [[Single (music)|single]], "You Don't Wanna Miss" hit #28 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] chart; the group's second single, "Easy to Love", peaked at #65 on the same chart. The third single, "You Don't Know Nothin'", peaked at #88 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The song also peaked at #54 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in July 1995.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited 
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 207}}</ref> The album sold over one million copies worldwide, and peaked at #80 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].

In 1995, the band appeared in [[Italy|Italian]] ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'', modeling men's suits. They toured alongside [[Stevie Wonder]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ezkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56 |title=Jet |via=[[Google Books]] |date=1995-05-08 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |access-date=2012-04-10}}</ref> and lent their voices to the [[Martin Scorsese]] film project ''[[Grace of My Heart]]''. The foursome also forayed into acting with appearances in the film ''[[Shake, Rattle and Rock! (1994 film)|Shake, Rattle and Rock!]]'' starring [[Renée Zellweger]] and [[Howie Mandel]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111147/ IMDb.com]</ref> on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]].

They also hit the US Top 20 with the single "[[Freedom (Theme from Panther)|Freedom (Theme from ''Panther'')]]" featuring [[Aaliyah]], [[TLC (band)|TLC]], [[En Vogue]], [[BlackGirl]], [[SWV]], and [[Vanessa L. Williams|Vanessa Williams]] from the film ''Panther''. They also recorded a duet with [[Stevie Wonder]] called "[[Stubborn Kind of Fellow]]", which appeared on the [[Marvin Gaye]] [[tribute album]], ''[[Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye]]''.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/release/398640 Discogs.com]</ref> For Real also recorded songs for the soundtracks of the films ''[[Waiting to Exhale]]'' and ''Fled''.

{{Pull quote|float=right|width=400px|
Paying homage to the Motown sound with "Like I Do", [[The Marvelettes]]-inspired first single and video from their second album, ''Free'' (their first for Rowdy Records), they call their sound an answer to "counterfeit R&B". "During the Motown era, artists sang with passion," says Josina, who founded the group back in 1986 in Los Angeles. "That's what's missing from a lot of today's music. But don't worry, we're bringing it back!"|author=
Josina Elder|source=LookSmartParents.com<ref>[http://www.looksmartparents.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_n8_v27/ai_18878628 Looksmartparents.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717044844/http://www.looksmartparents.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_n8_v27/ai_18878628 |date=2011-07-17 }}</ref>}}

After a label change from A&M to Dallas Austin's [[Arista Records|Arista]] imprint [[Rowdy Records]] in 1996, For Real released their second album ''[[Free (For Real album)|Free]]''. The first two singles were "Like I Do" and "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard".
The band also recorded three songs ("I Do", "Born to Love That Boy" and "Unwanted Number") and appeared in the critically acclaimed film ''[[Grace of My Heart]]''. The film's soundtrack won a [[Satellite Award]] in 1997.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/release/559377 Discogs.com]</ref><ref>[https://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:389006 Allmovie.com]</ref>

In January 1997, the band won an American Music Award for their work on the ''Waiting to Exhale'' soundtrack, with their featured song,"Love Will Be Waiting at Home". In Summer 1997, the group earned a [[Soul Train Award]] nomination for Album of the Year (By a Group, Band or Duo) for ''Free''.

In 1999, Wendi Williams lent her voice to the [[Emmy Award|Emmy]]-winning film ''[[Introducing Dorothy Dandridge]]'' with [[Halle Berry]], in which Berry plays a singer but Williams is behind her singing voice.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020622103818/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/TV/9908/20/dandridge.donna/ Edition.cnn.com]</ref>

In 2007, Josina Elder-Epps began work on a solo album and released two songs "Watcha Gonna Do" and "Doing It On My Own" to her MySpace page.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.myspace.com/josinaepps | title=JOSINA EPPS &#124; Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos }}</ref> She began work with producer CoryLavel on an album in 2009.

In 2010, Necia Bray-Gates released her debut solo album "Love Letters" on an independent label.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/neciaulp |title = necia {{!}} Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/user/necialoveletters | title=Necialoveletters - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>

On July 25, 2018, all four members reunited for a special “Unplugged” show in Los Angeles.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/events/283243525753836/?ti=icl {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|For Real discography}}
*''[[It's a Natural Thang]]'' (1994)
*''[[Free (For Real album)|Free]]'' (1996)

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-  style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"| Year
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"| Result
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"| Award
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"| Category
! style="background:#bcbcbc;"| Work
|- 
||1997
| '''Nominated'''
| [[Billboard Music Award]] 
| Best Clip – R&B
| {{center|"Like I Do"}}
|- 
||1998
| '''Nominated'''
| [[Soul Train Music Award]]
| Album of the Year (By a Group, Band or Duo)
| {{center|''Free''}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070314104019/http://www.singingfool.com/tribute.asp?Searchformethodid=3&SearchString=14699&AltSearchString=%20For%20Real SingingFool.com] Streaming music videos for "Like I Do" and "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard"
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060424070408/http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bme5s8qnbbtm4 Allmusic]  Discography, biographies, and pictures
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051108004237/http://artists4.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/For_Real/ IUMA] Group photos, lyrics, message board, audio streams, and biography
*[https://www.google.com/musica?aid=QncRcY8RR8O Google] Album info, photos, and lyrics

{{For Real}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American pop music groups]]
[[Category:African-American musical quartets]]
[[Category:African-American girl groups]]
[[Category:American soul musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1992]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1999]]
[[Category:Rowdy Records artists]]