Mica Paris – “Whisper A Prayer”

Following her debut album success and four chart hit singles in 1988, Mica Paris ramped up the vibe for her 1990 follow up, “Contribution”. The album charted top 40 in the UK with the title track making the top 40 on the singles chart. But that was it. By 1992, Mica was in search of much bigger hit and sound. Through her record label 4th and Broadway (Island Records), she was introduced to Michael Jackson hitmaker Rod Temperton and also with 80’s chart star Narada Michael Walden to create a new and snazzy sound for Mica in the mid-90’s.

Having been away from the charts for more than two years, she returned in the Spring of 1993 with that sound and a spunky lead single in “I Never Felt Like This Before”. After a second taster, Mica released her third studio album that June to much acclaim and hype. With plenty to attract wide ranging music tastes from modern Pop-Dance anthems to Soul ballads, “Whisper A Prayer” would sound something like this:

1. I Never Felt Like This Before

Mica’s return to music was with this superb and exciting uptempo number that came crashing onto the airways in March 1993. Written and produced by Narada Michael Walden along with Sally Jo Dakota, the production is on par with her earlier work, lively and in a Whitney-style, “I Never Felt Like This Before” was exactly what Mica needed to relight her commercial career. The song took off and went to No.15 in the UK, giving Mica her first top twenty hit since the beginning of 1989.

2. I Wanna Hold On To You

Mica turns up the bass and the funk with “I Wanna Hold On To You”, another solid Soul-Dance tune which she co-writes with Narada and Sally Jo. As with the previous song, “I Wanna Hold On To You” gives Mica the opportunity to let her voice go and reach highs that she has previously not discovered or worked with, perhaps as the encourgeament of Walden during recording. The track peaked at No.27 at home and made No.46 on the US R&B-Hip Hop chart, her first since “South Of The River” from her previous album.

3. You Put A Move On My Heart

Mica turns things down next with the gorgeous Soul ballad “You Put A Move On My Heart”, the first of a number on this album and also, at over six minutes long, one of six tracks of a really decent length. The song is the first from Heatwave’s Rod Temperton, who had previously worked with Chaka Khan and Donna Summer, and it shows here once again, as his production encourages Mica to work her voice and stretch its chords as well as being sensual and soulful when required.

4. We Were Made For Love

Temperton is back with a return to form on “We Were Made For Love”, that picks up where the first two tracks set the standard. Sparkly and uplifting, the song continues to re-enforce the American sound of this album, recorded wholey in Los Angeles and New York, so that’s hardly surprising! The song gives Mica a break and offers no real opportunities for her to excel vocally as it plays out.

5. Whisper A Prayer

The album’s title track comes courtesy of Jon Lind, the man behind Madonna’s “Crazy For You” and Vanessa Williams‘ “Save The Best For Last”, and it’s in the vein of the latter that “Whisper A Prayer” bleeds from. A gorgeous Soul ballad that only ignites towards the end of the song, otherwise offering a gentle, loving much softer number, which gives Mica’s smoky voice a chance to shine and entice. The song was released as the fourth and final single at the end of November 1993 and only managed No.65 at home, perhaps most people had already bought the album, but still an unworthy high for one of her most sincere recordings.

6. Too Far Apart

The sumptuous Soul ballads continue with “Too Far Apart”, a epic near-six minute smoocher from Narada, Sally Jo and Mica herself that continues the smokiness. This late night love song finds Mica really working her chords after four minutes and has one of those long, drawn-out fades that makes this a standout of the album and one to be played over and over.

7. I Bless The Day

Don’t expect uplifting songs just yet. Mica goes back to the beginning with “I Bless The Day”, which has Gospel undertones to it, but best resembles her debut single “My One Temptation”. The track is ‘blessed’ with some extended clarinet solos, and comes from the pen of Terry Britten (Tina Turner, Anita Baker) and Graham Lyle, who had previously teamed up with Britten for Tina’s smash “What’s Love Got To Do With It?“.

8. Two In A Million

Now it’s time to let your hair down! It’s back to some lively, Soul-Dance orientated tracks and they begin with the excellent “Two In A Million”, which is more than welcome by this stage. The track begins as a tender ballad before ramping up the tone with an R&B based vibe and sound. The song was remixed when it was released as the third single in the Summer of 1993, but sadly it did not follow its two predecessors into the top 40, stalling at No.51 in the UK. A shame, as the track is an album standard and Mica herself clearly loves every minute recording it.

9. Positivity

The great sounds continue with what has to be “I Never Felt Like This Before” part two, “Positivity”, a track that just brims with sunshine and Summer sounds. Hardly surprising as the same team behind track number one are responsible for it, along with some input from Mica herself. Again, this has a late 80’s feel to it, but still felt fresh in 1993 as it does over thirty years later. A very, very strong contender for a single that was never released from this period in Mica’s career and it would, I am sure, have been a big hit.

10. Can’t Seem To Make Up My Mind

Back to the epic ballads and “Can’t Seem To Make Up My Mind” is another big one, and at nearly six minutes in length, one of the longest. The song is another dusky number as well that allows Mica to work her vocal chords in the heat of the passion as she cannot decide what to do. Should she stay, or should she go? What feels best? Well, Mica certainly debates the answer over a long period of time…!

11. You Got A Special Way

There’s one last uptempo moment before the album closes and “You Got A Special Way” is another superb track in the “I Wanna Hold On To You” vein. Like “Positivity”, this is a contender for a possible single that never was. It’s the final track that was co-written and produced by Narada Michael Walden, the man responsible for most of the groovy beats on this album and it’s definitely not one to skip.

12. Love Keeps Coming Back

Time for the exit doors but not before the longest track on the album, the Gospel tinged “Love Keeps Coming Back”, weighing in at over seven minutes long. It’s Rod that stumps up this final epic, which is perfect lounge music and comes with an extended outro, and you wonder if it will ever end. Mica herself keeps coming back just to remind you of it’s title “Love keeps coming back, one more heart attack”. I hope not!

“Whisper A Prayer” was released on 8th June 1993, just a couple of weeks on from the second single, “I Wanna Hold On To You”. It fared much better than “Contribution” and peaked at No.20 in the UK and also broke the US R&B Album chart, her third, and ultimately, her last album to do so there. “Whisper A Prayer” is a worthy successor to her debut “So Good”, five years earlier and a superb collection of often late-80’s sounding songs with early 90’s production. Americanised, yes, but nevertheless Mica that is still a great listen thirty years later, that I am positive about!

Check out our Where Are They Now? feature on Mica Paris