Despite over two decades of documented drama, R&B divas En Vogue set the net ablaze when all five members reunited at last year’s City of Hope gala to honor industry legend Sylvia Rhone (as we reported here).
Later teasing a 2020 reunion tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of their 1990 debut album, ‘Born to Sing,’ original group member Cindy Herron exclusively told That Grape Juice in April the highly anticipated venture was ‘off the books’ (click here to read more).
Now, fellow EV original Dawn Robinson has tongues wagging by dishing on why there was yet another fallout between the songstresses. But, even with the drama, she doesn’t exactly rule out the possibility of a reunion if one condition is met: longtime group member Rhona Bennett is absent.
Details inside:
Taking to our friends YouKnowIGotSoul recently, Robinson not only reflected on her time with the GRAMMY-nominated group but also candidly discussed what the future could look like.
Look below to see highlights from their chat:
YouKnowIGotSoul: You had just begun doing shows with Maxine as part of The Funky Divas before the pandemic started. Was it disappointing having to put a pause on that?
Dawn Robinson: That kind of fell apart for a different reason. It was a personal situation that happened between her and I. I know it happened a long time ago but it was something I couldn’t let go. I just couldn’t trust her after that, so it was just personal with me. I always say this. Also Cindy and Terry were trying to get the name Funky Divas. They don’t go by Funky Divas, they go by En Vogue. I left in 1997, I came back to the group in 2009 for our 20 year anniversary and we toured the states and overseas. I don’t understand why they’re fighting to get the name. I thought they were being nasty and vicious. I just said the hell with it. Every time I try to go back and do something with them it just blows up. Some things are just better left undone and finished.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You mentioned earlier that En Vogue is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the debut album this year. Will there ever be a reunion to do new music?
Dawn Robinson: I won’t say never. My problem is Rhona being there. I think she’s great, she has never done anything to me, she’s not a bad person at all. I do know that she needs to step back if we are going to do a reunion at all. It just needs to be the four of us. Cindy and Terry have gone out and spent time with the fans this whole time representing the group. They use the name Maxine and I helped build to share with the fans. But Maxine and I have not had the chance to be with the fans. I just think we deserve the time with our fans for what we helped build before Rhona came along.
Click here to read the explosive interview in full.
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Longtime fans of the group know Bennett officially joined the group in 2003 and has been a staple since (excluding the times the original four reunited).
Your thoughts?
Dawn shut up! If you didn’t think you were better than all the other women back 1997 we wouldn’t be in this mess! You messed up En Vogue, You messed up Lucy Pearl and you messed up the Firm! As lil’ mo said to her face on R&B Divas LA “I know Cindy and Terry the REAL En Vogue!
This. EVERY project Dawn has been involved in, she’s had problems, En Vogue, Lucy Pearl, The Firm album, even the reality show lol, and according to Dawn it was always somebody else’s fault. That shows you who the real problem always was.
Actually she and Maxine were never paid which is why she left the group!
i hate to agree with negativity but she’s right. Rhona joined the group lonnnng after En Vogue’s peak. I’d understand if Rhona was like Michelle (Destiny’s Child) and helped catapult the group into superstardom, but she didnt. I saw them as a trio, and the only songs I cared for were from the original 4.
Dawn is just consistently being an obstacle. Its too bad she doesn’t realize the payday and additional glory that would befall ALL of them if she would just get in step. The longer I live the more I find that when one person ALWAYS has an issue – its usually THEM. As pathetic as it is, to use her own words, “maybe some things are better left unfinished”…
Nothing Dawn said was untrue. The way they did get the entire time was WRONG! The original four needs another run.
What you dont understand is that she had the busniess mind she wanted them to do great things but the other 3 was not clever. They never read the contracts always made poore decisions so that was the main group. If you are in this industry all people around you gone try to benefit from you and they gone use you like a doll. Thats the real reason why they had real problems. Sorry but the other three girls was stupid i understand dawn completly .
Kiena you are right. Dawn has always been about the coins and part of the reason she originally left was that the other members wanted to sign bad contracts. They just wanted to perform and had no business sense.
Dawn is right. Rhona is cool but people want the original ev magic. I don’t understand why the other two girls won’t do the original without Rhona. They can do so much and then Rhona can return after. It’s what everyone wants to hear they don’t need 5 girls. It’s not the spice girls
I think it’s because Rhona has been in the group longer than Dawn and Maxine at this point and has remained consistent regardless of how successful they have been since. En Vogue as a group with Rhona have been and are still releasing music that people love and know, so to try and erase her so you can have another moment (although its well documented) seems unfair.
Is Dawn only going to sing two albums worth of music, Maxine on 3, and then what?
She needs to be an adult and realise that although her and maxine lit the fire, Rhona keep the flame alive.
Sandra lets get into the facts shall we?
En Vogue with Rhona have still been releasing music people know and love? Where? What hits on what charts?
She’s been there longer than Dawn? So? Again what success has the line up with her achieve? Nothing.
Dawn only going to sing two albums worth of music? Yes those same two albums Terry, Cindy and Rhona do tracks from, their whole set is basically from the first two albums, Rhona not on them right, but she still sings them songs and gets paid to do karaoke style performing, and FYI Dawn was on 3 albums and 1 EP and sang lead on almost all of their big hits.
Maxine on three albums you claim? No Maxine is on 4 albums and 1 EP, again all hits, all singles that charted.
Now lets see Rhona’s contributions! 2 albums, no hits, 2 albums that bombed, produced no hits, nobody knows they even released them, they virtually never do any of the songs live from those two Rhona albums and why is that? Ain’t nobody going to pay to see half the group and someone else singing songs off of no hit albums, they want to hear the songs they know and paid to see, oh and that would be songs they did with Dawn and Maxine, not Rhona.
So why keep Rhona? Makes no logical sense, it won’t work as 5, they don’t need her to sing backgrounds, they are capable of doing that with the 4 of them.
You can’t use people and throw them like garbage whenever it’s convenient for you.
How disrespectful. People should learn how to think and STFU.
This this and THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!! How embarrassing to be with the group and hold down and group to be thrown out to the wolves!!!! Absolutely not. Rhona should and could sue the pants off those ladies if they did that to her she had their back and helped them make money the past 15 years! Not to mention the karma would be UNAVOIDABLE. All 5 will work fine you could easily have a segment in the tour with only four girls. A segment with 3, and a segment when they all come together problem solved!
No she needs to be there. It’s always an issue with Dawn. Didnt black eye peas had issues with her too
I love every woman that has been part of the En Vogue legacy , and as much as I would love to see the original 4 again, I feel that Rhona ahs more than earned her part with the group. I mean, she has put in 17 years and of that time, the only time she wasn’t part of the group was when she gracefully stepped aside to let the 4 do their thing. Not right tot ask her to do so AGAIN.
How about a compromise: the first part of the show, start off as the original line-up, but bring her in to join them for newer stuff, the Old School Diva medley, and whatever. But to say she doesn’t belong at all… not cool at all.
Dawn, sit down. Rhona has officially been in the group longer than you have at this point, and all the problems En Vogue has had over the years can all be traced back to… you. Not to mention she had similar problems with the other groups and projects she’s done; anytime there was trouble or conflict, SHE was the common denominator. Dawn needs to give it a rest.
Who cares Rhona been there longer? Nobody even knows En Vogue still have been going all this time, shows what impact they have had with Rhona, whwn Dawn comes back every single time they get attention, she was the star of the group.
It seems pretty clear that she is a the problem here. She fell out with Maxine too? Goodness girl. Get a grip.
I would definitely like to see that when All 4 of them made the group 1st I don’t see nothing wrong with that The original Girls you got to admit Were amazing If anyone knew how music was and how you got paid back them they were understand what All the girls Had to go through but not getting paid those girls with way bigger than TLC If you look at all the album sales amazing they should I really been paid but they wasn’t as a musician myself I totally understand I hope they can come to an understanding if the other groups like escape new addition and TLC did they movie and come together I pray to God I know Those girls can do it and we have to realize we was not there When it all happen Please don’t listen to the media Ladies I hope things work out love you guys
Lol they was not bigger than TLC 😂😂😂 wtf are you smoking 🤣🤣🤣🙅♂️
Ugh they will forever be a mess. Just make a lifetime biopic and lay down.
EN VOGUE WILL ALWAYS BE THE ORIGINAL 4. ESPECIALLY FOR THE 40TH REUNION OF THEIR ALBUM. SHE WAS NOT A PRT OF THEM THEN. BE A LADY AND GRACEFULLY BOW OUT GIRL. SHOW YOU HAVE CLASS🖤
I think she could possibly be worked into the show the same way I’ve seen other groups do it. I’ve seen Dru Hill bring Jazz out for certain songs only (though it was due to health reasons), and with New Edition, they performed some of their original songs and then Johnny joined them on stage at the point that he actually became a member.
I AGREE THAT WHENEVER A GROUP MAKES A MILESTONE( A NEW DECADE IE) IF THEY ARE ALL STILL ALIVE AND WELL, THE ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBERS SHOULD SHINE ON THOSE OCCASIONS! IT’S OUT OF RESPECT BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO EN VOGUE IF DAWN AND MAXINE WASN’T IN IT! THEY STARTED IT SO THEY SHOULD BE CELEBRATED FOR BEING IN IT FROM THE START! OR COMPROMISE MAKE RHODA A BACKUP VOCALIST ONLY WITH ANOTHER BACKUP VOCALIST BUT THE ORIGINAL FOUR UP FRONT AND CENTER MAYBE(?) JUST A SUGGESTION BECAUSE I WANT MY FAVORITE GIRL GROUP SINCE THE EMOTIONS THEN PRECEDING DESTINY’S CHILD TO GET ALONG AT ANY COST!
En Vogue came out when or just before I was in college and it just doesn’t feel like EV without the original four. Rhona joined well after the group peaked and had already declined. She just doesn’t fit in, IMO. I wish the original four could put aside their differences and bring back the original group, best female group vocally as a whole IMO (sort of like 2 Beyonces and 2 Kellys in one group vocal wise).
All the ladies are talented beautiful and classy. Dawn needs to stop being so opinionated and selfish. There is enough room in the group for everyone to shine. This bickering and arguing needs to stop as people of color we need to learn to work together share and help one another. It is too much talent out there and tomorrow is not promised to anyone. I would love to see Envogue collaborate with After 7, now you talking about making music….
Who cares anymore?
EV hasn’t been relevant in over 2 decades. The only two loyal members are Cindy and Terry. Dawn ALWAYS has an issue with EVERYONE she works with. She’s clearly the problem.
At this point, Rhona has been in the group longer than Dawn and Maxine.
She’s unproblematic and put in much more work than the other two.
How Rona put in more work than Dawn and Maxine? What you taking? THEY put in the work years before this girl came along, she wasn’t there, the four En Vogue members all put in the same amount of work, this chick has not brought them any success, she has not added anything to their legacy.
When all is said and done, when the group be looked back on, those four women will be mention, the spare wheel will not.
The best group of all time
#ONLYthe Original 4💯💖
Dawn is such a typical angry black woman.
I agree with Dawn Robinson, Ms Rhona Bennett, should step back and allow them to do their thing. It doesn’t take away from her contribution. If she is wise, then she’ll respect that.
All of them were talented. But Dawn was the talent, and she knew it, she earned her right to naturally embrace Divahood. Her swag and the way she moved, the others didn’t possess. Maxine is the next closest to being a diva, but you can tell they kept her chained. Again they were all well skilled talented singers and all beautiful, but Dawn could hold her own. If the others don’t respect her gift, theyll always be problems. Dawn is a team player, but she’s wise.
Look if people would research we all should khow by now how this industry will work you and eat until you dry that’s reason why Dawn and Maxine left the group but nooo dawn got kick out En Vogue for standing against these evil industry executives and #Lucypearl a band member and friend she trusted give her bad contract took her money and Rona what hit have the girl made with En Vogue Mmm none every time they sing it’s always the same iconic songs which dawn and Maxine is singing them parts Rona didn’t help build the group so I understand where dawn is coming from Rona didn’t put in the hard sweat tears to building the group we the fans wanna see the original members for the anniversary!!!!!
Dawn has a point to be honest but at the same time she needs to go sit her a** down somewhere. The original 4 ladies of En Vogue need to figure it out they’re moving into Geriatric Diva territory… too old for the foolishness. Rhona has put her time in with the group. Its the 30th anniversary of the groups first album…. the original four should get together for the fans. Rhona can be figured into the equation as well. Figure the s**t out and move on.
En Vogue are Cindy, Dawn, Terry and Maxine.
Rhonda has been there for a long time, but they have had no success with her, zero hits, no impact, all their hits were with Dawn and Maxine, who apart from Hold on, they sang lead on all the groups biggest songs.
The fill in karaoke paid employee of Cindy and Terry is not needed when it’s the OG4, her spot becomes redundant, what she gonna sing? Backgrounds on everything? People ain’t gonna go to a reunion show to hear tracks from the two flop albums they did with Rhonda that nobody brought, she’s like a spare tire in the boot, the 4 main tires are in place, they made the group not her.
And for people saying she’s been there longer than Dawn and Maxine, she has not been there longer than Maxine was and who cares she been there longer than Dawn, nobody knows who she is, they haven’t had a hit or been relevant for years, people crying oh she’s help them carry on, if it wasn’t for her Dawn and Max wouldn’t have a group to come back too bla bla bla, most of the public think they split decades ago, she hasn’t exactly set the stage a blaze and help them build more success, Xscape didn’t need to keep the torch alive to make successful comeback, neither did SWV and they did it and better, she could be there 50 years compared to Dawn, still don’t make her a legit member, she is just a bland fill a spot karaoke singer who’s paid to sing other people’s songs, if she left tomorrow Terry and Cindy would find another girl and carry on, they don’t need Rhonda Bennett to be a success, she is not relevant to their story or success.
Nobody cares about Rona, the other times she stepped out when the original’s came back together, who missed her?nobody, nobody even mentioned her, asking where she is, but they are always asking where Dawn at?
See the difference? Alicia Keys got them back on stage before, all it would take is an offer like that again and Cindy and Terri would drop Rona and not even bat an eyelid, Alicia Keys took one look and said no I don’t want her, only the originals, speaks volumes how people see the real En Vogue and it’s not including Rona.
I have never even heard of Rona, was she there when they had hits? No,
Is she in the videos? No
Was she part of their success? No
So why should she stay when the original four ladies are on stage? The spare wheel stays in the boot for a reason! She ain’t needed, she ain’t known, she’s not En Vogue. Be very different if they had any hit with her, but alas no hits with Rona.
She’s been there longer than Dawn I see peope saying this, AND? Facts are there for all to see, all the songs with Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones hits, Rona? Nah none to speak of, sis can stay in the boot like the ugly stepchild she is, don’t need her, she’s not relevant on any level, been there years or not, sis can step out and let the actual real En Vogue do their thing.