Ralph Tresvant, sitting quite dapperly attired in the offices of MCA Records, is casually denying the notion that he’s diligently sung himself into a corner. “That song, ‘Sensitivity’, really is who I am,” he is saying between sips of soda. “I didn’t write it, but (producers Jimmy) Jam and Lewis had me in mind when they wrote it. They knew I was gonna need something just a little different than what they’d done in the past. Plus, when I hooked up with them, we sat down and talked about the musical direction. They knew I was concerned about sounding like everything else out here, and they went to the wall for me. That’s why they’re the cats.”
Tresvant’s disposition has a certain peace to it, and for a good reason: after leading New Edition through 10 years worth of hits, and watching his NE buddies – Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill and Bell Biv DeVoe – all find success outside the unit, he can finally enjoy the satisfaction of having his own day in the sun. Thanks to “Sensitivity,” Tresvant’s self-titled MCA album came roaring out the box. The single went platinum in a matter of days, with MCA making an initial shipment to retail stores of more than 600,000 copies. That means Ralph is virtually guaranteed album sales of more than one million copies (platinum), which is news that makes him smile.
“It’s funny – I’ve got gold and platinum New Edition records on my wall at home,” he says. “But there’s nothing like having your own hit record. Now I know what my boy Bobby (Brown) was talking about when he said, ‘Just wait, man – ain’t nothing like it.’”
Tresvant’s album, especially that sultry first single, has poised Tresvant not only for a successful hiatus from he NE homeboys, but thanks to the sound of “Sensitivity” – it leans on both the sultry soulfulness of Marvin Gaye and the shuffling funk of Soul II Soul – Tresvant is reaching a cross-section of demographics, from young to old.
He could easily make his soloism a permanent one couldn’t he? “Why does everyone think that’s the next step?” he says rhetorically. “When I didn’t have a solo hit, everyone was saying, “Ooh, look at Ralph. What’s he gonna do, all his boys have hits.’ Now that I get one, they back talking about me leaving the group. I’m not through with New Edition yet.”
Still, Tresvant says he’s mystified that, despite the mainstream success of NE solo projects, the unit itself remains an attraction for R&B audiences. “That’s weird to me, man. We’re all from New Edition. White folks eat up Bell Biv DeVoe, but we’re together, they scratch their heads and say, ‘Huh?’”
Ironically, the same audience at the recent MTV Music Awards – where Tresvant debuted “Sensitivity” – gave his performance pretty much the same reaction. “They’d never heard the song before,” reasons Ralph, “and that’s how most audiences respond when they hear a song the first time live – they just sit there and listen. That’s why a lot of performers don’t do a lot of new material like boom, right off for the first time in front of a crowd. People need time to check out something to decide if they like it. We knew people would get into the record once they heard it under the right circumstances.”
Though Tresvant is definitely aware of his image as a “Stone Cold Gentleman,” as one album song title puts it – after all, Tresvant himself established and cultivated the image over the years – he’s certain that LP selections like the hard rap “Rated R” and the urban ballad “Last Night” will adequately reveal another side to fans. “A lot of people were surprised when I played them the rap. So many think of me as this balladeer, and I like ballads but that’s never been all I was about. Think about it – most of New Edition’s hits are up-tempo, which I sang lead on. I’m definitely into a groove, but I like the soft stuff, too. I guess I fit somewhere between all of it – in the middle.”
Ralph says that, while he did enjoy the break from being in the limelight, he’s glad to be back in it. “You see your boys (members of NE) on TV shows and videos and you say, “Man, I’m getting itchy to get back out in front of an audience.’ If the right offer comes along, I’ll definitely consider touring.”
Tresvant, always a bit shy about talking about his personal life, playfully admits that there is at least one woman in his life whom he especially looks to: “Mom. She’s always been there for me through all of this – beginning with NE on up to now. Everyone should have a mother like mine. She’s alright.”
In the meantime, it’s back to the grindstone. There are TV shows to tape, a routine to learn, rehearsals to execute in front of mirrors. “I want to get out there and show them what Ralph Tresvant is all about,” he says proudly. “When I leave a stage, I want people to say, ‘Okay, so that’s Ralph. I can get into it.’”
HOME
LYRICS
NEW EDITION LYRICS
RALPH TRESVANT LYRICS
BOBBY BROWN LYRICS
RALPH TRESVANT
RONNIE DEVOE
RICKY BELL
JOHNNY GILL
MICHAEL BIVINS
BOBBY BROWN
FAN CLUBS
MESSAGE BOARDS
NEWS
LINKS
ARTICLES
