Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox, more popularly known as Shanice is a supremely successful Singer, Songwriter, Keyboardist, and Actress. She was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and raised in Los Angeles, California. At her peak musical peak in the 90s, Shanice has made a special mark in the Music and Television industries with her immense talent and charm. Shanice continues to be a household name after three decades in the industry because of her mantra to, “Stay real, Stay fresh and Stay Relatable.”
Quick Biological facts to check out
Birth: 14 May 1973
Nationality: American
Occupation: Singer, Actor, Songwriter, and Keyboardist
Spouse: Flex Alexander
Genres: R&B, Hip Hop, Swing, and Soul
What led to Shanice joining the entertainment industry?
Shanice came to the spotlight at the age of nine with none other than Ella Fitzgerald, when they appeared together in a KFC commercial. This opportunity was a result of Shanice’s mother and aunt, Crstyal and Penny’s pursuit. While they had originally moved to LA to fulfil their own musical dreams, mesmerised by Shanice’s talent, they decided to hone and promote Shanice. Their efforts fructified when Shanice became a regular for Kids Incorporated. Post this, she took part and won the Star Search show and was signed by A&M Records.
How is Shanice’ career and professional life?
Shanice made it to the on the R&B hits top ten list with her first album under the A&M Records at the age of 14. “(Baby Tell Me) Can You Dance” and “No ½ Steppin’” became everyones favourites, allowing Shanice to sign with an even bigger record company, Motown Records.
3 years later, Shanice released the album, Inner Child and in it was the song she is most famous for – “I Love Your Smile.” This song shook the music industry not just in the US but across the world when it became one of the top ten most famous songs in over 20 countries! It was featured on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and was the second most popular song on the Billboard Hot 100.
After the roaring success of Inner Child, there was no stopping Shanice. In 1994 she had the opportunity to work with the famous guitarist Dick Smith and music producer, Rhett Lawrence. In 1997, she signed with LaFace Records and created an album after her name, Shanice. While she was always appreciated for her vocals, Shanice went through a lull period in her career when her albums stopping doing so well. However, Shanice believed in her talents and began singing songs for movies and television series.
A few film tracks that brought Shanice back to the limelight are “It’s For You” from The Meteor Man and “Don’t Wanna Love You” from Boomerang. Shanice made her way back to the top ten lists with the popular song she sang for the show, 90210, Saving Forever for You.
Tami Roman and Shanice’s 1990s R&B group, Female, provided the backup vocals for another song she recorded and released in 1995. The song was a cover of “If I Were Your Woman” by Gladys Knight and the Pips. She also sang “If I Never Knew You,” a duet with Jon Secada, for the Pocahontas original motion picture soundtrack in 1995.
Shanice was persistent, contributing backup vocals to songs by other artists when she wasn’t the featured vocalist, including Usher’s “Bedtime”. She contributed vocals to Michael Jacson’s song “Behind the Mask” in 2010 by singing. Shanice also sang “Love Is the Gift,” the English version of the game The Bouncer’s theme song.
After almost 3 decades in the music industry, Shanice took time away for five years where she focused her energies toward her personal life and her family. She returned to the limelight in the year 2006 with her own record label, Imajah and her fifth album, Every Woman Dreams. This album was special because it reignited Shanice’s musical passions, it was self produced under a record label that was names after her children. She came back with a bang as the album made it to the top 30 of that year’s R&B chart.
2019 saw Shanice continue to succeed with the song “He Won’t.” Shanice and Eric Bellinger were chosen to perform the title song for the Sesame Street sequel Mecha Builders in 2022.
Shanice is a woman of many talents. Alongside her successful singing career, her acting debut was in the “Rock Enroll” episode of Family Matters from season five. She made history in 1997 by being the first African American artist to take the lead in the Broadway production of Les Misérables as Eponine. One Special Moment, a movie based on Brenda Jackson’s novel, also starred Shanice in 2001.
Having become a popular name in the business, Shanice has made numerous TV appearances such as the HIV/AIDS benefit concert in 2011 with French Davis and Niecy Nash. Shanice also made an appearance as a vocalist on her husband Flex’s show One on One.
Whom is Shanice Married to?
After a whirlwind of romance, Shanice tied the knot with actor and comedian Flex Alexander in the year 2000. Together, they have two children, a girl and a boy, born in 2001 and 2004, named Imani S. Knox and Elijah A. Knox. They have been madly in love and continue to have a strong marriage after 22 years of being together.
In celebration of 15 years of their marriage, Shanice and her husband together had a reality show, Flex & Shanice, which came out in 2014 on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The Show rand for 3 season and showcased the life of the couple and their kids.
In a candid interview about their life and marriage, the couple said that the three things that have kept them strong through the ups and the downs of life are Faith, Prayer and Communication. They are a happy couple that flirt with each other and make no bones about how in love with each other they are.
How is Shanice’s personal life like?
One of the biggest hurdles in Shanice’s personal life was when her and her husband went broke – they lost their house, their car and their finances were in shambles. They could only afford to live in a rented house with their extended family members, allowing them to share living expenses.
Talking to a magazine, the Shanice and her husband said that they were each other’s strength during this extremely difficult time in their lives. They lifted on another up from their down days and remained positive because of their faith in god and in each other.
What are the honours and accolades received by Shanice?
Shanice’s musical career has been a successful one despite its ups and down. Her entry to the industry of R&B music was marked by her nomination at the Soul Train Awards, 1988 as the ‘Best New Artist.’ The Awards uniquely commemorate and celebrate path breaking black artists in the R&B and hip hop genre.
The 1993 hit song, I Love Your Smile, remains Shanice’s most famous and remembered song ever. She was nominated at the coveted Grammy Awards for ‘Best Female R&B Vocal Performance’. While she did not win at the Grammys, she won the coveted Golden Lion Award for the ‘Best International Artist’ in the same year.
What is Shanice’ net worth?
Shanice’s net worth is estimated to be a whopping $3million. Her earnings from her profession as a singer, songwriter, actress and reality television star are taken into account when calculating her net worth.