Melanie Janene Thornton (May 13, 1967 - November 24, 2001) was an American singer and songwriter who found her greatest success in Europe. She became internationally known as the lead vocalist of the Eurodance duo La Bouche, whose hits "Sweet Dreams" and "Be My Lover" helped define the commercial dance-pop sound of the mid-1990s. Thornton later launched a solo career, releasing the album Ready to Fly in 2001 before her death in a plane crash at the age of 34.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Thornton grew up in nearby Mount Pleasant and sang in church during her youth. She moved to Germany in the early 1990s to pursue music professionally. At first, she performed in clubs and worked with the R&B group Groovin' Affairs. Her strong, soul-influenced voice also led to session work for German dance producers.
Thornton's early studio credits included work with the Eurodance project Men Behind and the dance act Le Click. She provided the vocals for Le Click's "Tonight Is the Night," a song that introduced her to a wider club audience. Around the same period, a demo recording of "Sweet Dreams" reached producer Frank Farian. Farian signed Thornton to his MCI label and paired her with American rapper and vocalist Lane McCray, forming La Bouche in 1994.
La Bouche's debut single, "Sweet Dreams," became a major international success. The duo combined house and Eurodance production with Thornton's gospel and R&B-influenced delivery, creating a sound that worked equally well on radio and in clubs. Their debut album, Sweet Dreams, followed in 1995 and established the duo as one of the most successful dance acts of the decade. "Be My Lover" became another worldwide hit, while later releases such as "Fallin' in Love," "You Won't Forget Me," and "SOS" extended the group's popularity.
La Bouche released the albums A Moment of Love in 1997 and S.O.S. in 1998. Thornton eventually left the duo to concentrate on work under her own name. Her solo debut, "Love How You Love Me," appeared in 2000 and presented a more personal pop and soul direction than the highly programmed dance material associated with La Bouche.
Thornton's only solo studio album, Ready to Fly, was released in May 2001. The record drew on pop, R&B, gospel, and dance music, and included songs such as "Heartbeat," "Memories," and "Love How You Love Me." It initially achieved moderate success in German-speaking Europe, but gained renewed attention after Thornton's death.
On November 24, 2001, Thornton was killed in the crash of Crossair Flight 3597 near Bassersdorf, Switzerland, while traveling from Berlin to Zurich. The accident claimed 24 lives. Two days later, her song "Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)" was released as a posthumous single. Built around Coca-Cola's Christmas advertising campaign, it became a recurring seasonal hit in several European countries and remains her best-known solo recording.
Posthumous releases, including The Best of La Bouche feat. Melanie Thornton and Memories: Her Most Beautiful Ballads, preserved both sides of her career. Thornton is remembered for bringing a distinctly soulful vocal presence to 1990s Eurodance and for the contrast between La Bouche's club-oriented hits and the broader pop and gospel influences of her unfinished solo career.