Alicia Michelle Howard is one of the most gifted musicians to ever grace the planet. Her voice is just so soothing and incredible, it’ll make you want to praise God for giving someone that immaculate of a gift. While Miki is known for her signature R&B song “Love Under New Management, sis has blessed us with so many bops over the past 30 something years. 

Miki was born into music, so it was only natural to get in formation and record timeless music. She was apart of the jazz-funk band Side Effect from 80 to 85. Her recordings with the group are so good! 

Prime example: SE’s version of Georgy Porgy is flames okay?

Midnight Lover is a favorite of mine as well! Miki did that!

Pretty Baby? Everything. 

Okay. It’s time to revisit Miki’s remarkable discography and see why she’s the most overlooked artist ever.

Come Share My Love (1986):

Favorites: Come Share My Love, Love Will Find a Way, Imagination, I Surrender, My Friend, You Better Be Ready To Love Me, Come Back To Me Lover.

Miki’s debut album is an incredible affair full of slow jam ballads and typical 80s pop influenced ballads. 

Love Confessions (1987):

Favorites: Baby, Be Mine, You’ve Changed, That’s What Love Is, In Too Deep, Bitter Love, Reasons, I Wanna Be There.

Love Confessions showed the world that Miki is here to STAY! Her duet with one of the loves of her life, Gerald Levert (That’s What Love Is,) …is TIMELESS okay? & don’t get me started on Baby, Be Mine. Whew! An. Album!

Miki Howard (1989):

Favorites: If You Still Love Her, Come Home To Me, Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do,) Ain’t Nuthin’ In the World, Love Under New Management, I’ll Be Your Shoulder, Love Me All Over, Who Ever Said It Was Love.

Miki’s self-titled album is the album that got me hooked to her discography! Her first album without any production with frequent collaborator LeMel Humes, Miki worked with Gerald Levert, Larry Blackmon, Nick Martinelli, Terry Coffey & Jon Nettlesbey..& came through with some quality WORK!

Her signature song Love Under New Management is fire and important to the R&B scene, but her duet with Gerald (I’ll Be Your Shoulder, & her cover of  Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) are everything to me. & If You Still Love Her read all of these men that try to keep people in love triangles down. Miki had TIME on this one!

Femme Fatale (1992):

Favorites: This Bitter Earth, Good Morning Heartache, Hope That We Can Be Together, But I Love You, Shining Through, Ain’t Nobody Like You, Cigarette Ashes on the Floor, New Fire from An Old Flame, Release Me.

Femme Fatale is an album that’s on an entire different level from any R&B/jazz inspired album PERIOD. Miki is a Billie Holiday STAN. That’s her idol, & throughout this album..you can tell. Miki opens this album with a cover of Billie’s Good Morning Heartache. I’ve heard this song covered by tons of our great black musicians. Miki’s version is always my go to, because that voice is just so smooth.

Ain’t Nobody Like You shows you that Miki can get with the times too! Being a quiet storm song over a hip hop inspired beat, Ain’t Nobody Like You is greatness served on a platter. Every song is worthy of not getting skipped. 

Miki Sings Billie (1993):

Favorites: My Man, Strange Fruit, Don’t Explain, Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do, Dont Explain, I Want to Be Your Mother’s Son-In-Law, I’m a Fool to Want You.

Miki loves some Billie Holiday y’all. She played Billie in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X biopic…so you know a tribute album had to follow up! If you’re being introduced to this album for the first time, listen to Strange Fruit. Miki had vocals for days, weeks AND months. 😭😭😭😭😩 it’s just so damn good. Lord! Immaculate.

Can’t Count Me Out (1997):

Favorites: Sunshine, Summer, Can’t Count Me Out, At Seventeen, I Love Every Little Thing About You, Get Over You, Three’s a Crowd.

An awesome album with great bops including a song with her father Clay Graham, & production from her good friend Chaka Khan! 🙌🏾

Three Wishes (2001):

Favorites: One Day Without You, Kiss of a Stranger, Imagine, Nobody, Meant To Be, From Now On.

I love this album! Don’t sleep on One Day Without You & Meant To Be.

Pillow Talk (2006):

Favorites: I Can’t Stand the Rain, Inseparable, Misty Blue, Lowdown, Just Dont Want To Be Lonely, Go Away Little Boy.

Miki Sings The R&B classics, so you know it’s nothing but immaculate vocals with incredible music playing in the background.

Private Collection (2008):

Favorites: Counting My Blessings, Secret Love, Crazee, Skylark, You Made Me Love You, She, Favorite Time of the Year.

Private Collection is full of Jazz & soulful  classics! Get your life! 🙌🏾

Miki Howard: Live In Concert (2015):

Favorites:  Days of Wine, Panther, Blues In G, Love Won’t Let Me Wait, Try a Little Tenderness. 

I would LOVE to see Miki live one day, because this album definitely put me in a mood to! Miki’s character and demeanor comes off as colorful and tons of fun! I’m sure she is a delight to see..with new songs and some of her classics, this live album is worth giving a listen to. ❤️

Ain’t Nobody like Miki Howard period! We don’t publicly discuss her like we should! Miki has a voice that will stand the test of time, & will be discussed from one generation to the next..courtesy of music heads like myself. Miki deserves every single flower on this earth. 🌸🌺🌺🌺🌹 -MJ.