by Cyclone Wehner

Soul diva Faith Evans has found herself shrouded in controversy for the last few years. Still, in the midst of all the media sensationalism stands a sista with a secure sense of self. If this New Jersey native has survived, it is because she subscribes to a strong Baptist faith. Ever dignified, Faith is also down-to-earth and friendly. Yet her story is something else altogether. It's the contemporary urban American experience magnified on an epic scale.

The offspring of a mixed-race coupling, Evans was raised by her devout African-American grandparents and her singer mother. (Faith's Italian father barely figures in her life narrative.) A bright student, Evans won a scholarship to Fordham University and chose to study marketing, although what she really wanted to do was sing. The gifted choir girl eventually quit college to follow her secret desire. When Faith gave birth to her first child at 19, she was already starting to forge out a multi-faceted career for herself in the music industry. Early on she worked with Al B Sure! and wrote material and sang backing vocals for Puff Daddy's original female prodigy, Mary J Blige. All this led to a deal with Puff's fledgling label, Bad Boy.

In 1994, Evans wedded her labelmate, The Notorious BIG, after a courtship of less than two weeks. The marriage soon began to fray when Faith discovered Biggie was entwined with his protege, Lil' Kim. Since then Evans has carried her share of tribulations. Before she bore Biggie's son, CJ, the child's paternity came under speculation because the rapper's rival, Tupac Shakur, had publicly boasted of a fling (denied by the long-suffering Faith). Then, tragically, Big was murdered in an as-yet-unresolved drive-by. Evans learnt that her late (estranged) husband had been involved with yet another femme fatale rapper -- Philly's Charli Baltimore. And so, it is some testament to Faith's spirit that her latest album, "Keep The Faith", is no cathartic outpouring, but rather an expression of hope and forbearance. It is also record of healing -- inspirational therapy. Faith offers downtempo soul medicine. There's the gentle title-track, "Life Will Pass You By" and "Lately I". Nowadays Evans is focussing on her young family. And she is taking her career to the proverbial next level. Perhaps one day Faith will be recognised for her musical contributions -- and not the drama enveloping her young life.

Evans proves to be a candid, warming subject -- the diva even volunteers that she has to watch herself so scheming media-types don't exploit her openness. 'I talk and I'm very honest but, at the same time, I've had to start teaching myself -- and reminding myself all the time -- that if you're candid with people that, funnily enough, sometimes gives them more room to kinda play and twist and exaggerate [your words], which I don't understand.'

Indeed, Faith was especially hurt by a story that recently ran in the glossy US women's magazine, "Elle", in which (among other topics) she was (mis)quoted on her late husband's mistresses; broken friendships with Blige and Missy Elliott; and volatile business relationship with Puffy. 'Although I was very happy about being in that magazine itself because of the prestige, I was very disappointed in the article and what it portrayed, because it was totally not in the vein that I meant it. A lot of the statements made weren't written the same as they were said. Some of the statements were made by people other than myself who may have been in the room when I was being interviewed and they were just put in there. [The journalist] made it all look like it was part of my vision and where I was coming from. I really didn't like that article -- a lot of things about it. And, actually, most of the times that I have to clear something up, it's from a statement that someone got from that article.'

In particular Faith stresses that everything is cool with Puffy and Bad Boy is generally supportive of her career. 'I don't have a problem at all with Puffy. We're actually pretty OK, as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty much a homebody, so I think that a lot of times that is kind of interpretted as, 'Oh well, we don't see you with this person, you don't seem to hang with this one, so does that mean you guys don't get along?' But there's absolutely no problem -- other than the normal record label and artist problems or disagreements.'

The soulstress won over a loyal following within the local R&B fraternity after 1995's debut album, "Faith", materialised on import. With her wistful, low-key alto-soprano, Evans has popularised her own vocal style -- a welcome contrast to those grandiose super-divas, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. When Faith first surfaced she was routinely compared to Blige, but the two vocalists are now respected for their individuality. Whereas Mary exemplifies hip-hop soul, Faith leans more towards traditional R&B. Sure, both make sweet '90s soul. But, while Mary's vocals are raw and granular, Faith's singing is pure and refined. Faith's voice is like melting sugar.

Evans' international profile was given a boost when she featured on Puff's gospel-pop single, "I'll Be Missing You", a homage to Biggie that even turned up on the Princess Diana tribute album, no doubt because of its universal resonance. Lately Bad Boy's Queen of Neo-Soul Balladry has shown herself equally capable of delivering funky uptempos. Faith's most recent singles, "Love Like This" and "All Night Long", have been embraced by the R&B and dance communities alike, partly because, with their disco samples, they hark back to the 1980s when club DJs would mix both house and R&B into their sets -- the two styles were virtually inseparable. Faith doesn't mind the house treatments of her songs. And she likes house music. 'It's not like I play it in my car, but when I go to a club, I'm not gonna lie, a good house jam never hurt a party. And the fact is I do know that those remixes have helped many an artist expand their audience -- like Deborah Cox, for example. [Faith goes on to rattle off Cox's impressive string of club chart-toppers.] She became so popular with the gay audiences and the clubheads, you know, so it definitely doesn't hurt. Like I say, anything that is bringing people closer to me -- and closer to hearing what I have to say -- is a good thing.'

Faith is celebrated for her exchanges with other artists. In the past couple of years she has penned material for LSG, Aaron Hall and labelmates 112 and she continues to guest on projects by her contemporaries (Eric Benet, DJ Hurricane). In fact Evans is currently in the US charts as one of two guests on Whitney's "Heartbreak Hotel" (soul sista Kelly Price is the other). 'Whitney and I are pretty good friends and she had told me that she wanted me to be a part of her project ["My Love Is Your Love"], but I would have preferred to write a song for her album. I'd been trying to get on that album really badly. And what happened is in the meantime, with my record coming out, the scheduling was just off and I never got a chance to write.'

Faith may find it hard balancing her career and family life (she recently remarried), yet she isn't complaining. And she has no intention of kicking back. Besides tour commitments, Faith is looking to a number of new projects -- she is even bound to make her movie debut in the Madonna-backed urban flick, "Ghetto Supastar".

"Keep The Faith" is out through BMG.