Miki Howard Net Worth

What is Miki Howard's Net Worth?

Miki Howard is an American R&B and jazz singer who has a net worth of $1.5 million.

Miki Howard is best known for her rich contralto voice, sophisticated phrasing, and a run of major R&B hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her best-known songs include "Come Share My Love," "Baby, Be Mine," "That's What Love Is," "Ain't Nuthin' in the World," "Love Under New Management," "Until You Come Back to Me," and "Ain't Nobody Like You."

Miki Howard emerged during an era when adult R&B, quiet storm, jazz-influenced soul, and romantic ballads still dominated Black radio. She began her career as a member of the group Side Effect before launching a solo career with Atlantic Records. Her debut album, "Come Share My Love," made her a rising star, and later albums including "Love Confessions," "Miki Howard," "Femme Fatale," and "Miki Sings Billie" established her as one of the most talented vocalists of her generation. Howard also earned a Grammy nomination, won a Soul Train Music Award, and later became the subject of the TV One biopic "Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story."

Early Life

Alicia Michelle Howard was born on September 30, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois. She was born into a gospel music family. Her mother, Josephine Howard, was a member of the legendary gospel group The Caravans, and her father, Clay Graham, performed with The Pilgrim Jubilees.

Howard moved to Los Angeles during her youth and began performing while still a teenager. At 15, she appeared in a teen beauty pageant where her voice caught the attention of Augie Johnson, the leader of the R&B group Side Effect. That meeting helped launch her professional music career.

Side Effect

Howard joined Side Effect in the late 1970s, replacing singer Sylvia St. James. The group was known for blending R&B, jazz, funk, and soul, and Howard's voice gave the band a strong new focal point. She appeared on Side Effect albums including "After the Rain," "Portraits," and "All Aboard."

Although Side Effect did not make Howard a major star, it gave her valuable recording and touring experience. It also positioned her as a vocalist capable of handling both smooth jazz textures and emotionally direct R&B. By the mid-1980s, she left the group and began pursuing a solo career.

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Solo Career

Howard signed with Atlantic Records and released her debut solo album, "Come Share My Love," in 1986. The title track became a top-five R&B hit and introduced her as a polished, grown-up R&B singer with jazz instincts. She followed with "Love Confessions" in 1987, which included the hits "Baby, Be Mine" and "That's What Love Is," her duet with Gerald Levert.

Her 1989 self-titled album gave Howard one of the biggest hits of her career with "Ain't Nuthin' in the World," which reached #1 on the R&B chart. The album also included "Love Under New Management," another signature song that became closely associated with her career and later supplied the title for her television biopic.

In 1992, Howard released "Femme Fatale," which included "Ain't Nobody Like You," another #1 R&B hit. The album also reflected her love of jazz standards and classic torch singing. She leaned even further into that side of her artistry with "Miki Sings Billie," a 1993 tribute to Billie Holiday.

Later Albums and Recognition

Howard continued recording through the 1990s and 2000s with albums including "Can't Count Me Out," "Three Wishes," "Pillow Talk," "Private Collection," and "I Choose to Be Happy." Her 2001 album "Three Wishes" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album, reinforcing her reputation as a singer's singer rather than merely a radio-hit artist.

She also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist and later received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Music Awards. Her catalog has remained especially respected among fans of classic R&B, quiet storm, and jazz-influenced soul.

Acting and Biopic

Howard appeared in Spike Lee's 1992 film "Malcolm X" and in the 1993 film "Poetic Justice." In 2016, TV One premiered "Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story," starring Teyonah Parris as Howard. The movie dramatized Howard's rise in the music business, her personal struggles, relationships, career success, and comeback. Howard also appeared in the film.

The biopic became one of TV One's most successful original movies and introduced Howard's story to a younger audience that may have known the songs more than the singer behind them.

Personal Life

Howard has three children, including singer and producer Brandon Howard, professionally known as B. Howard. She has been open over the years about the challenges she faced in the music industry and in her personal life, including difficult relationships, addiction, and rebuilding her career after setbacks.

Despite those challenges, Howard has continued to perform and record. Her legacy rests on a catalog of elegant, emotionally direct R&B songs and a voice that bridged gospel, jazz, soul, and quiet storm. For fans of late-1980s and early-1990s R&B, she remains one of the era's most distinctive and underrated vocalists.

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