Born in Oklahoma City in 1973, McNeal started singing in her preacher father’s church choir before teaming up with Swedish dance producers Rob ‘n’ Raz to record the album Clubhopping. In 1997, her debut solo single, “Ain’t That Just the Way,” reached the Top Ten across most of Europe, topped the U.S. Billboard dance charts, and was followed by three further hits (“Stranded,” “Someone Loves You Honey,” and a cover version of Johnny Mathis’ “When a Star Is Born”) from her debut album, My Side of Town.

Her subsequent three studio releases, 1999’s Whatcha Been Doing, 2002’s Metroplex, and 2004’s Soulsister Ambassador, have struggled to make any impact in the U.K., but did manage to find an audience in Sweden, Germany, and Japan.