Terry Ellis began her musical career in 1990 as a member of For You, along with Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. The group later changed its name from For You to En Vogue and recorded a parade of R&B hits.

By the mid-'90s, the members of En Vogue took a three-year break from recording, which gave Ellis a chance to record an album of her own, 1995's Southern Gal, released on Elektra. Two of the singles became hits: Wherever You Are and What Did I Do to You.

Dawn Robinson, who also went solo, didn't come back, but Ellis and the other two En Vogue members rejoined forces in 1997 to complete another album, EV3. ~ Charlotte Dillon, Rovi