Vanessa Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American actress and singer. In 1987, Williams released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, "The Right Stuff", found success on the R&B chart, while the second single, "He's Got the Look", found similar success on the same chart. The third single, "Dreamin'", was a pop hit, becoming Williams's first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status in the US and earned her an NAACP Image Award and three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.

Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single "Running Back to You" reached top twenty on the Hot 100, and the top position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on October 5, 1991. Other singles included "The Comfort Zone" (#2 R&B), "Just for Tonight" (#26 Pop), a cover of The Isley Brothers' "Work to Do" (#3 R&B), and the club-only hit "Freedom Dance (Get Free!)". The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date, is "Save the Best for Last". It reached No. 1 in the United States, where it remained for five weeks, as well as No. 1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, and was in the top 5 in Japan, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2.2 million copies in the US at its time of release and has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA, gold in Canada by the CRIA, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. The Comfort Zone earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations.

The Sweetest Days, her third album, was released in 1994 to highly-favorable reviews. The album saw Williams branch out and sample other styles of music that included jazz, hip hop, rock, and Latin-themed recordings such as "Betcha Never" and "You Can't Run", both written and produced by Babyface. Other singles from the album included the adult-contemporary and dance hit "The Way That You Love" and the title track "The Sweetest Days". The album was certified platinum in the US by the RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations.

Other releases include two Christmas albums, Star Bright, released in 1996, and Silver & Gold in 2004; Next in 1997, and Everlasting Love in 2005, along with a greatest-hits compilation released in 1998, and a host of other compilations released over the years. Notable chart performances from subsequent albums, motion picture and television soundtracks have included the songs "Love Is", which was a duet with Brian McKnight, the Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning "Colors of the Wind", "Where Do We Go from Here?", and "Oh How the Years Go By".

On June 2, 2009, she released her eighth studio album on Concord Records titled The Real Thing. It features songs written and/or produced by Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Bebel Gilberto, and Rex Rideout. Williams described the album as "a hybrid of samba, bossa nova, some salsa and also some pop and R&B". The title song "The Real Thing", the fourth single released from the album, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

She received a number of Grammy nominations for her work in the music industry, including hits such as "The Right Stuff", "Save the Best for Last", "Colors of the Wind", and "Oh How the Years Go By".

Albums Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications US US R&B AUSAustralian (ARIA Chart) peaks: Top 50 peaks: Top 100 peaks between January 1990 and December 2010: "Dreamin'": "Running Back to You": CAN GER NLD UK 1988 The Right Stuff Release date: February 2, 1988 Label: Wing, Mercury 38 18 — — — 45 — RIAA: Gold 1991 The Comfort Zone Release date: August 20, 1991 Label: Wing, Mercury 17 1 29 24 52 28 24 RIAA: 3× Platinum MC: Gold 1994 The Sweetest Days Release date: December 6, 1994 Label: Wing, Mercury 57 25 72 — 74 — — RIAA: Platinum 1996 Star Bright Release date: November 5, 1996 Label: Mercury 36 24 — — — — — RIAA: Gold 1997 Next Release date: August 26, 1997 Label: Mercury 53 28 — — — — —US: 220,000 2004 Silver & Gold Release date: October 12, 2004 Label: Lava, Atlantic 120 46 — — — — — US: 100,000 2005 Everlasting Love Release date: January 25, 2005 Label: Lava, Atlantic 159 57 — — — — — US: 60,000 2009 The Real Thing Release date: June 2, 2009 Label: Concord 91 36 — — — — — US: 62,000 2024 Survivor Release date: August 23, 2024 Label: Mellian Music, WMG — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. Peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart and at No. 6 on the ARIA R&B Albums chart. Peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

Live albums Year Album details Peak chart positions US AUT GER 2001 Our Favorite Things (with Tony Bennett, Charlotte Church, & Plácido Domingo) First live album Release date: October 16, 2001 Label: Sony Classical 102 48 79 Peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Classical Crossover chart and at No. 25 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums chart.

Compilation albums YearAlbum details 1998 Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years First compilation album Released: November 17, 1998 Label: Mercury 2003 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Vanessa Williams Second compilation album Released: September 23, 2003 Label: Mercury 2004 Love Songs Third compilation album Released: January 13, 2004 Label: Mercury 2021 The Best Fourth compilation album Released: May 14, 2021 Label: Mercury

Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album US USDan USA/C AUS CAN GER IRE NLD NZ UK 1988 "The Right Stuff" 44 1 — — — — — 21 — 71 The Right Stuff "(He's Got) The Look" — — — — — — — — — — "Dreamin'" 8 — 2 108 16 — — 40 19 74 1989 "Darlin' I" 88 — 10 — — — — — — — 1991 "Running Back to You" 18 2 — 102 86 — — — — 82 The Comfort Zone "The Comfort Zone" 62 25 — — — — — — — — 1992 "Save the Best for Last" 1 — 1 1 1 19 2 4 15 3 RIAA: Gold BPI: Silver ARIA: Platinum RMNZ: Gold "Just for Tonight" 26 — 2 — 10 — — 46 45 83 "Work to Do" 52 8 — — — — — — — — 1993 "Love Is"(with Brian McKnight) 3 — 1 49 3 — — — — 92 Beverly Hills 90210: The Soundtrack 1994 "The Sweetest Days" 18 — 3 47 6 — — — — 41 The Sweetest Days 1995 "The Way That You Love" 67 6 — — 39 — — — — 52 "Colors of the Wind" 4 — 2 16 11 — 16 8 25 21 RIAA: Gold Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack "You Can't Run" — — — — — — — — — — The Sweetest Days 1996 "Where Do We Go from Here?" 71 — 5 — 29 87 — — — — Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years "Do You Hear What I Hear?" — — 15 — — — — — — — Star Bright 1997 "Happiness" — — — — 70 — — — 49 — Next "First Thing on Your Mind" — — — — — — — — — — "Oh How the Years Go By" — — 6 — — — — — — — 1998 "Who Were You Thinkin' 'Bout?" — — — — — — — — — — "Refugio de Amor (You Are My Home)" (with Chayanne) — — — — — — — — — — Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture 2004 "Silver and Gold" — — 4 — — — — — — — Silver & Gold "Merry Christmas Darling" — — 18 — — — — — — — 2005 "You Are Everything" — 5 16 — — — — — — — Everlasting Love 2009 "Breathless" — — — — — — — — — — The Real Thing "Just Friends" — — — — — — — — — — "Close to You" — — — — — — — — — — "The Real Thing" — 6 — — — — — — — — 2024 "Legs (Keep Dancing)" —3 — — — — — — — Survivor"Bop!"(with Trixie Mattel and Lion Babe) — — — — — — — — — —"iLike Moonlight" — — — — — — — — — —"Survivor" — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. A 1989 remix of the song charted at number 62 in the UK. Peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart and at No. 5 on the Billboard Tropical/Salsa Songs chart. Peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart. Peaked at No. 3 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales chart. The Dance Club Songs chart is no longer published. The title track ”survivor” has been used as a promotional single for the album, including a lyrics video release.

Featured singles Year Single Artist Peak positions Album US USR&B 1995 "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" Various artists 45 18 Panther2020Twerking 5 to 9: The RusicalAs part of the Cast of RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race featuring Christina Bianco & April Malina - -

Other appearances Year Song Album 1994 "Save the Best for Last" (Live) Grammy's Greatest Moments: Volume II "You Would Be My Baby" The Mask: Music from the Motion Picture

Video releases Video albums YearTitle1989The Right Stuff Released: 1989 Label: PolyGram1992The Comfort Zone Collection Released: 1992 Label: Polydor

Concert videos YearVideo details Notes1996Vanessa Williams & Friends: Christmas in New York1997Vanessa Williams live in Japan1998Pavarotti & Friends for the Children of Liberia2000 Our Favorite Things: Christmas in ViennaWith Tony Bennett and Plácido Domingo2004 Vanessa Williams Christmas: Live by Request

Music videos Year Title Director 1988 "The Right Stuff" Rebecca Blake "(He's Got) The Look" Alek Keshishian "Dreamin'" 1989 "Darlin' I" 1991 "Running Back to You" Ralph Ziman "The Comfort Zone" 1992 "Save the Best for Last" "Just for Tonight" David Cameron "Work to Do" Pam Thomas "What Will I Tell My Heart" Ralph Ziman "Save the Best for Last" (Holiday Version) Kevin Bray "What Child Is This?" 1993 "Love Is" (with Brian McKnight) Ralph Ziman 1994 "The Sweetest Days" Kevin Bray 1995 "The Way That You Love" Matthew Rolston "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" (with Various Artists) Antoine Fuqua "Colors of the Wind" Dominic Orlando 1996 "Where Do We Go from Here?" Andy Morahan 1997 "Happiness" Francis Lawrence 1998 "Refugio de Amor (You Are My Home)" (with Chayanne) Gustavo Garzón 2009 "Breathless" Mike Ruiz "Just Friends" "Close to You" 2024 "Legs (Keep Dancing)" "Bop!" (with Lion Babe)

See also List of awards and nominations received by Vanessa L. Williams

Notes

References

External links Vanessa Williams interview with Marcus Jones - Journalist Marcus Jones 1988 interview "Miss America 1984 Vanessa Williams Interview with Bill Boggs" - Bill Boggs 1983 interview (includes music performance)