UB Celebrates: 25th Anniversary of Xscape’s ‘Traces Of My Lipstick’ | Kandi Contributes

Atlanta based R&B quartet Xscape released their third album “Traces Of My Lipstick” 25 Years ago today in the U.S. and Europe on May 12th, 1998.

The album debuted at #28 on the US Billboard 200 and #6 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified Platinum in June, 1999.

“Traces Of My Lipstick” was produced by Jermaine Dupri, Daryl Simmons, Babyface, Keith Sweat, Joe, and Diane Warren.

The confidence, sensuality and maturity of “Traces Of My Lipstick,” makes it Xscape‘s most solid album release, dispute the turmoil going on within the group at the time.

“The Arms of the One Who Loves You,” was the first single and was officially certified gold by the RIAA on May 13th, 1998. The single peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboard’s R&B charts.

“They originally started out as being hip-hop meets R&B,” Label exec Demmette Guidry stated; “But, the same as anyone would do, they’ve grown up. Three of the members have babies. They’ve matured, and the ladies have pretty much chosen to take it to another level.”

“Traces” would soften their image, which started out with overalls and pants. With “Traces Of My Lipstick,” they looked as mature as their voices sounded.

“It seems that this time, we were in the frame of mind to record ballads. And coincidentally, a lot of the tracks we liked were also ballads. So, without even really planning on this being a more serious record, that’s exactly what it became!”

“Traces Of My Lipstick” is filled with an emotional depth, that spoke to the quartet’s growth both as performers and as women.

“We don’t want to be stereotyped as just a young group,” stated Kandi Burruss at the time. “We want to be able to get the older audience and the younger audience.” Xscape‘s full line-up includes Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott.

The albums second single “My Little Secret,” is a song about a relationship that’s kept on the down low for obvious reasons. “My Little Secret” is co-written by Xscape member LaTocha Scott and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

The last single released from the album and fan favorite, “Softest Place On Earth” is a sensual, romantic description of the act of lovemaking and the offering of love itself. Without a visual nor retail single, “Softest Place on Earth” peaked at #28 on Billboard’s R&B chart and #111 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

Other singles on the album include “All I Need,” which was co-produced by Xscape‘s Tamika Scott, while “Hold On” was originally intended for a duo project entitled KAT, for Kandi and Tiny.

“Am I Dreaming” with Ol’ Skool featuring Keith Sweat was released for their album that January. The song peaked at #5 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart.

The overall tone of “Traces Of My Lipstick” is moodier, mellower, and much more mature. “It seems that this time, we were in the frame of mind to record ballads,” stated Tiny. “And coincidentally, a lot of the tracks we liked were also ballads. So, without even really planning on this being a more serious record, that’s exactly what it became!”

Part of that maturity can be felt in “Traces Of My Lipstick‘s” understated theme: that of love from the perspective of the woman and the point-of-view of the other woman. The imagery and provocative nature of the phrase “Traces Of My Lipstick” is meant to raise eyebrows and make people think. “It’s pretty powerful, that whole idea of being the woman who’s being cheated on,” stated LaTocha, “And it’s also pretty deep to be the woman who’s doing the cheating! And without giving too much of our business away, you can say that we know both sides… intimately.”

That sense of intimacy, combined with superlative harmonies and undeniable appeal, helped make Xscape one of the biggest and most popular R&B singing acts of the 90s. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, the childhood friends first gave the world a taste of their soulful sound with their 1993 debut “Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha.” The album, which boasted the hit singles “Just Kickin’ It” and “Understanding,” went platinum and quickly established Xscape as a force to be reckoned with.

That success was eclipsed by their explosive sophomore release “Off The Hook,” which was released in 1995. Like it’s predecessor, “Off The Hook” would go platinum while yielding three gold hits, “Feels So Good,” “Who Can I Run To?” and “Do You Want To.”

In 2008, UB spoke to Kandi for one of our ReWind features on “Traces of My Lipstick.” In true Kandi fashion, she kept it a real with us, on her experience recording that last album.

UrbanBridgez.com: What did Xscape set out to do when recording “Traces?”
Kandi: Sad as it is, we didn’t really set out to do anything but get through it! They wanted us to crossover more with this album, and that would have been great in my opinion. Yet, during negotiations for our third album we found out Tocha wanted to put the group on hold to do a solo album. So So Def decided to sign her but the agreement was she had to do our 3rd album first. It was tension through the recording of the whole album, so getting through it again was what we set out to do.

UrbanBridgez.com: What was it about that album you enjoyed the most?”
Kandi: That was my least favorite album. Not because of the quality of the records because they were great records, but because of the drama that went on during the making of it, and also I did not know what was next for me or the other girls.

UrbanBridgez.com: What is a single from that album you would of personally liked to be released and why?”
Kandi: I didn’t listen to that album a lot it really brings back so many memories. The only songs I can even name other than the two that had videos (My Little Secret & Run To The Arms) are “Hold on to Love” & “Softest Place On Earth.” So I guess one of them could have been a single to me.

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane With “Traces Of My Lipstick!”