Pronounced Jah-Nay
Pronounced Jah-Nay is the debut studio album by American R&B group Zhané. It was released on February 15, 1994, via Motown. The recording sessions took place at The Enterprise Studios and at Encore Studios in Burbank, at Marion Recording Studio in Fairview, New Jersey, and at Unique Recording Studios and at Soundtrack Studios in New York City. The album was produced by Naughty by Nature and Zhané. It peaked at number thirty-seven on the US Billboard 200 and number eight on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 4, 1996.
The album produced five singles: "Hey Mr. D.J.", "Groove Thang", "Sending My Love", "Vibe" and "You're Sorry Now". Its lead single, "Hey Mr. D.J.", became the group's most successful song, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving gold certification by the RIAA.
Critical reception
The album received positive reviews from music critics. American magazine Billboard wrote, "Silky production work provides a tailored backdrop for artists' harmonic vocals, resulting in relaxing ballads and memorable mid-tempo pleasures. Credit Naughty by Nature's Kay Gee with not overproducing project and allowing the twosome's emotions to ring true." Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "The concept this female duo–Renee Neufville and Jean Norris–practises is relatively new. Blending sweet soul music with hip hop rhythm tracks, the outcome is not unlike 'Sons Of Soul' Tony! Toni! Tone!. Compared to their own streetwise rap records, producers Naughty by Nature were very smooth operators in the studio for this one. Apart from the two singles 'Hey Mr. D.J.' and 'Groove Thang' the beat is rather slow. Pronounce "Ge-nius," we say sans gene." Alan Jones from Music Week gave the album three out of five, saying, "Zhane are best known for their two dance hits so it comes as something of a surprise that nearly all of the rest of this album is superior soul of the late night listening variety."Track listing
;Sample credits- Track 1 contains a sample from "Lookin' Up to You" performed by Michael Wycoff
- Track 3 contains a sample from "Love X Love" performed by George Benson
Personnel
- Renée Neufville – vocals, lyrics, piano, strings, producer, executive producer
- Jean Norris – vocals, lyrics & producer, keyboards, piano, executive producer
- Keir "Kay Gee" Gist – vocals, drum programming, executive producer
- Wendell & Face – vocals
- Les – additional vocals
- Voe Harris – keyboards
- Naheem "Pop Holiday" Bowens – keyboards
- David Bellochio – keyboards, piano, additional producer, co-producer, recording
- Alan Goldsher – bass
- Steve Williams – drums
- Frank Gravis – bass
- Paul Levant – guitar
- Kevin Batchelor – trumpet
- Naughty by Nature – producers
- Craig King – co-producer
- Angela Piva – recording, mixing
- John Van Nest – mixing
- Frank Fagnano – recording
- Quincy Jones III – remixing
- Ed Miller – recording assistant
- Fred Kelly – recording assistant
- John Buttigieg – recording assistant
- Mufi – recording assistant
- Rob Polhemus – recording assistant
- Scott Blockland – recording assistant
- Scott Canto – recording assistant
- Steve McKeever – executive producer, liner notes
- Jonathan Clark – art direction
- Shauna Woods – design
- James Minchin III – photography