The Girl Next Door covers a wide range of material, offering a bit of something for everyone. Selections such as the seductive "Day To Day," the arresting "Magnet" or the comforting ballads "Cross Your Mind" and "This Song" all serve to accentuate the artist's remarkable ability to perform with all cause music that ranges from cool, Quiet Storm to beat-laden House.
"It's always been important to me to be in touch with what's going on in music," Evelyn explains. "I enjoy being in the clubs, on the street, listening to what's hot at radio. I know that translates to The Girl Next Door, which is very "now," and I think that has something to do with my continued success over time."
Over Evelyn’s 10 album career (The Girl Next Door became her 11th LP), fans and critics have continued to watch and applaud the artist grow and expand creatively without ever losing touch with who she is.
"One thing that was engraved early, something my family always taught, was to remember who you are and keep in mind that it was important to be true to your self first," King says. "Maintaining a level head keeps me on top of my game. The Evelyn "Champagne" King you hear and see is the only Evelyn "Champagne" King there is. It's always been that way and I'm proud of that."
In her modest and confident approach, and by seasoning her vast talent with collaborations that include work with top producers Kashif and Paul Lawrence Jones, Andre Cymone and Ron Kersey and Alex Brown, to name a few, Evelyn King was able to consistently lend a bright and fresh element to her work. And, while each album clearly distinguishes itself from the others, one ingredient has remained: the voice.
Recall, if you will, the first time you heard "Love Come Down" from 1982's Get Loose, or 1985's So Romantic, which featured the hit "Your Personal Touch." Compare them to Evelyn’s ground-breaking single and album from 1981, "I'm In Love" or the Top 10 "Hold On To What You've Got" and "Kisses Don't Lie" from Flirt. That one ingredient that has not changed is Evelyn's emotion-textured vocal gift. It is Evelyn's range and energetic delivery that continues to make every song she selects to record that much more exciting, that much more dynamic.
Without issue Evelyn "Champagne" King has continued to enjoy success over time. Hers is a name that commands respect within the industry, a name which has remained prominent in the Pop, Club and R&B arenas since the artist burst onto the music scene what seems a short time ago. King made her dramatic introduction with 1978's Top 10 crossover classic "Shame" off her Gold-plus debut album Smooth Talk. Few are the music enthusiasts who can recall that tune without finding themselves humming or singing its profoundly catchy chorus. "Shame" was an exciting taste of things to come from an artist on her way to superstardom.
Evelyn has since received a,”Dance Music Hall Of Fame Award” in 2004, “Living Legend Award" in 2007, and countless Outstanding Achievement Awards for the work she continues to do in the music world.