There’s been a lot of talk on TikTok lately about JLo and the real singers behind her hit tracks. It’s no secret that it’s a lot of Black women.

Whether they are credited as background vocals, writers or not credited at all, many Black female artists are on your favorite tracks. But you might not know it. It’s time to give flowers to the powerhouses that carry the melodies of some of the most beloved hits. Here are a few Black female artists who sang or wrote some of your favorite tracks.

Ashanti

This singer-songwriter has been using her skills long before she ever became a household name. In the early 2000s, she wrote and sang ad-libs, choruses and verses on some of J-Lo’s biggest tracks, including “Ain’t It Funny” and “I’m Real.” She did an interview with Metro UK in 2022 about not getting credit or being properly labeled on those songs.  

Amber Riley 

A clip of Amber RIley on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” recently went viral after she shared about how she spent the early days of her career “ghost singing” for big name artists. Riley explains that she would do demos of songs for artists when they could not hit their notes. She further explains that ghost singing is essentially fixing up vocals. Fans have speculated that she’s sang on tracks for many artists, including Vanessa Hudgens and Demi Lovato. 

Brandy

When she was not acting in “Moesha” or “Cinderella,” Brandy was busy building her music career. The R&B singer’s sultry vocals have been featured on songs such Kelly Rowland’s “Love/Hate,” Olivia’s “Never Too Far,” and Toni Braxton’s “Selfish.” She also wrote J.Lo’s track “Ryde Or Die.” Her voice is easy to identify in the chorus and background vocals. 

Christina Millian

R&B and pop singer Christina Milan co-wrote and sang the chorus and background vocals for “Play.” This was the second single from J.Lo in the 2000s.

Although, she was a feature vocalist on the song, Millian was only credited with background vocals. Despite fans’ frustration with Millian’s not receiving proper credit, in an interview with Page Six, she shared that she does not have an issue with it. 

“It’s funny when people talk about this being kind of a thing about me singing on the song with Jennifer,” she said. “This is what music is made of. You want a blend of voices. It makes songs better, to me.”

Kelly Price

Early in her career, R&B and gospel singer Kelly Price worked as Mariah Carey’s background singer. She sang background vocals on several of Carey’s biggest hits, including “Always Be My Baby,” “Fantasy,” “The Roof,” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” In an interview with Rated R&B, she said that talking to Carey about leaving the Daydream World Tour and branching out was one of the hardest conversations she’s ever had. 

Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét has recently reached new heights of success. A month after winning three Grammys, she won the Rising Star Award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards. Before her own music took off, Monét’s main source of income was songwriting. She has worked on songs and albums for a long list of artists, including Nas, Travis Scott, Fifth Harmony, T.I., Lupe Fiasco, Chrisette Michele, Brandy, Coco Jones, Chloe x Halle, and Chris Brown.