Andrea Martin (singer/songwriter for various dance/soul artists)

Andrea Monica Martin (April 14, 1972 – September 27, 2021) was an American R&B songwriter and singer. Born in New York City, Martin was one of six children of Reginald Martin Sr. and Mavis Martin, grew up in East New York, Brooklyn, and graduated in 1990 from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she studied voice. Inspired by Michael Jackson, she wanted to be a singer-songwriter from childhood. Martin was writing songs and appearing at Amateur Night at the Apollo before she graduated; she sang in the lobbies of office buildings to try to catch the attention of music publishers located there. In the early 1990s she was signed as a songwriter by Rondor Music. Starting in 1995 with "Before You Walk Out of My Life", a hit song for Monica, she became known for writing hit songs, usually with partners, in particular Ivan Matias, a high school classmate with whom she wrote 1997's You're the One, a number one hit for SWV. Other artists who charted with songs she wrote or co-wrote included En Vogue ("Don't Let Go (Love)"), Toni Braxton ("I Love Me Some Him"), Angie Stone ("Wish I Didn't Miss You"), and Melanie Fiona ("Give It To Me Right"). Her UK hit songs included Leona Lewis's "Better in Time", Another Level's "Be Alone No More", and No. 1s "Breathe" (Blu Cantrell, featuring Sean Paul) and "Loneliness" (Tomcraft), both in the early 2000s. She also wrote non-charting singles for artists including Paloma Faith ("Trouble with My Baby"), Nelly ("Fly Away"), RBD ("Wanna Play") and Jennifer Hudson ("I Still Love You"). She was less known as a singer, performing primarily as a backup singer and later as a featured artist. In the 1990s she was signed as an artist by Arista Records. She released her only album, The Best of Me, in 1998. It was not a success, but the single "Let Me Return the Favor" reached No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, and her single "Share the Love" was remixed for clubs and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Dance Charts in June 1999. Also in 1999, she appeared in concert on BET's Girls Night Out, headlining with then-Arista labelmates Deborah Cox, Faith Evans, Monica, and Shanice. Martin had two children. She died in a hospital in New York City on September 27, 2021, at age 49. Notes "Money Talk" did not enter the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but peaked at number 40 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. "Story of My Life" did not enter the US Dance Club Songs, but peaked at number 21 on the US Dance/Mix Show Airplay. UK chart data from polyhex.com Williams, Annabelle (October 15, 2021). "Andrea Martin, R&B Songwriter, Dies at 49". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2025. Millner, Denene (April 11, 1999). "Finding Her Voice With Her Debut LP, Songwriter Andrea Martin Gets to Call the Tunes". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: Andrea Martin". AllMusic. Retrieved April 15, 2010. Gunn, Tamantha (September 27, 2021). "Singer-songwriter Andrea Martin passes away at 49". Revolt. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Andrea Martin: En Vogue and Blu Cantrell songwriter dies at 49". BBC News. September 28, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Andrea Martin Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021. "Andrea Martin Chart History – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021. "Andrea Martin Chart History – Dance Club Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021. "Switch & Andrea Martin – I Still Love You". Ultratop.be (Hung Medien). Retrieved October 1, 2021. "ORGANIZED NOIZE FEAT. ANDREA MARTIN & QUEEN LATIFAH - SET IT OFF (SONG)". Australian-charts.com (Hung Medien). Retrieved October 1, 2021. "Andrea Martin Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021. "Andrea Martin Chart History – Dance/Mix Show Airplay". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021. Set It Off (inlay cover). Various Artists. EastWest Records. 1996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Money Talks (inlay cover). Various Artists. Arista Records. 1998.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Reggae Got Soul (inlay cover). Various Artists. Wondersound JA. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Blonde (inlay cover). Dennis. EMI Music Netherlands. 2010.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Renaissance II (inlay cover). Stress. Universal Music. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Blonde (inlay cover). Dennis. GOOD Music, Re-Up Records. 2010.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Shakedown (inlay cover). Freemasons. Loaded Records, Freemaison Recordings. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) X Colour (inlay cover). Redlight. Lobster Boy. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Tesla (inlay cover). Flux Pavilion. Circus Records. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Unreleased 92–98 (inlay cover). Pudgee. Back 2 Da Source Records. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Fallen Ash (inlay cover). Men in My Head. Sony Music. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Off the Record (inlay cover). Shift K3Y. Sony Music. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Outer Body Experience (inlay cover). Dot Demo. U7tra Nostra Records. 2016.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Foreign Light (inlay cover). Toddla T. Steeze Records. 2017.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Having Another Bailey (inlay cover). Bas de Beer. Bas de Beer. 2019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) The Anti Valentine Album (inlay cover). Bas de Beer. Matic Entertainment. 2020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) Andrea Martin discography at Discogs