“R&B Divas: LA”: TV One reality series begins production this month

The TV One “R&B Divas” reality franchise is expanding with the new series “R&B Divas: LA,” scheduled to start production this month in Los Angeles and set to debut in the third quarter of 2013.

“R&B Divas: LA” centers on the lives and careers of Kelly Price, Chante Moore, Lil’ Mo, Claudette Ortiz, Michel’le and Dawn Robinson.

Details on the series, provided by TV One, are as follows:

Over eight episodes, viewers and fans will follow these multitalented ladies as they seek to individually and collectively re-establish themselves in the pop culture limelight with new deals, new drama and new directions for their careers and their lives.  Success is the only option for these six friends ­ but is there room at the top for them all?

KELLY PRICE
Kelly Price’s musical roots were planted in church, where she began singing in the children¹s choir at age 2.  Her double-platinum debut album, Soul of a Woman, featuring the record-breaking single “Friend of Mine,” made history as the first to garner the #1 spot on the singles chart without an accompanying video, a rare feat during the era when music videos were the driving force of popular culture. Price returned to center stage three years later with the platinum-plus seller “Mirror, Mirror,” led by her remake of the R&B classic “As We Lay,” and followed up with the gold-selling holiday collection One Family: A Christmas Album.  Three years after releasing Priceless, she returned to her roots to release the live gospel album This Is Whom I Am. The album included the uplifting single “Healing,” which reached the top of the gospel charts and was also recognized at the 2007 ASCAP Awards as one of the top five songs played across both R&B and gospel genres during 2006.  She has collaborated with artists including Mariah Carey, George Michael, Elton John, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Faith Evans, Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston and James Brown.  Additionally, Price has modeled for Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart and taken her talents to the screen and stage with roles in the films Soul Food and Bringing Down the House and the plays Why Did I Get Married? and The Bible Experience.  Her latest album, Kelly was released in 2011. In addition to focusing on conquering the music business, Price also is dedicated to her marriage to Jeffrey Rolle, who is also her manager, and their three children.

CHANTE MOORE
Music is in Chante Moore’s blood. Born the daughter of a minister, Moore grew up singing in church and signed her first record deal at age 22 after she was discovered at a beauty pageant.  Moore¹s career has included several hit singles that have topped Billboard R&B and Pop charts, including  ”Love’s Taken Over,” “It’s Alright,” “I’m What You Need” and  ”Chante’s Got A Man.” Revered in the industry for her four-octave vocal range, the accomplished singer also has worked on numerous outside projects, including the single “One More Time” with Kenny G, “Your Home Is in My Heart” with Boyz II Men for the How Stella Got Her Groove Back movie soundtrack, and “Wey U” on the award-winning soundtrack for the film Waiting to Exhale. Moore has been nominated for multiple Soul Train Music Awards and NAACP Image Awards , and won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo for the song “Contagious,” featuring The Isley Brothers.  On the stage, Moore has appeared in Otis Sallid’s Gospel! Gospel! Gospel at the Wilshire Ebell Theater.  Recently divorced, the mother of two is set to star on Broadway in the musical Gospel Soul Rock ‘n’ Roll and has an album set for release in 2013.

LIL’ MO
Cynthia Loving, a.k.a. Lil’ Mo, has made a name for herself as an R&B singer,  radio personality, songwriter and  record producer. The power of this self-appointed “Godmother of Hip-Hop and R&B” may take some by surprise; while many artists spin tales of their hard-knock childhoods, Lil’ Mo’s family was often called the “fake Cosbys.”  A talented songwriter, Lil’ Mo secured a production deal with Flavahood Entertainment, and even before the ink on her contract was dry, Missy Elliott selected one of her tracks for the album Da Real World. Before long, Lil’ Mo’s list of writing and performance credits read like a “Who’s Who” of Hip-hop and R&B, including collaborations with heavy hitters like Fabolous, Jay-Z, Keith Sweat, Black Street and Lil Bow Wow. Lil’ Mo’s most notable collaborations include “Hot Boyz,” with Missy Elliott, “Put it on Me,” with Ja Rule, and “5 minutes,” with R&B Divas: LA co-star Kelly Price.  After leaving the music business to focus on her family with husband and manager Phillip Bryant and her four children (ranging in age from 10 to 4 months), Lil’ Mo is ready to stage a comeback and prove to her kids that she is the greatest.