Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress whose career has connected contemporary R&B with hip-hop, soul, and gospel. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in Newark, New Jersey, she began singing in church as a child. Her formal musical education included jazz and classical training, and she briefly attended Fordham University before moving toward a professional career in music.
Before becoming a recording artist, Evans worked as a songwriter and background vocalist. During the early 1990s, she contributed to projects associated with Al B. Sure!, Christopher Williams, Usher, and Mary J. Blige. This behind-the-scenes experience helped establish her as a technically assured vocalist while also introducing her to the New York and Los Angeles R&B communities. In 1994, Sean Combs signed Evans to Bad Boy Records, making her the label's first female recording artist.
Evans' self-titled debut album, Faith, appeared in 1995. Built around polished R&B production, hip-hop influenced rhythms, and her warm, expressive singing, the album produced the singles "You Used to Love Me," "Soon as I Get Home," and the remix of The Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance." Faith became a platinum-selling success and established Evans as one of the leading female voices in the Bad Boy era. Her marriage to The Notorious B.I.G. also placed her close to one of the central stories of 1990s hip-hop, although her own recordings were rooted primarily in soul and contemporary R&B.
Following The Notorious B.I.G.'s death in 1997, Evans appeared with Sean Combs and 112 on "I'll Be Missing You," a tribute built around The Police's "Every Breath You Take." The single became a major international hit and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1998. Its success brought Evans a wider audience, but she continued to develop an independent identity through her solo work.
Her second album, Keep the Faith, arrived in 1998 and emphasized sleek, radio-friendly R&B. It included "Love Like This," "All Night Long," and "Never Gonna Let You Go." Faithfully followed in 2001, combining harder-edged funk and hip-hop elements with the singer's characteristic ballad style. The album produced "You Gets No Love," "I Love You," and the Carl Thomas duet "Can't Believe," which received a Grammy nomination.
Evans moved from Bad Boy to Capitol Records for The First Lady in 2005. After a period with fewer recordings, she returned with Something About Faith in 2010 through her Prolific imprint. The album reached the top 15 of the Billboard 200 and included "Gone Already," which earned another Grammy nomination. She also wrote the 2008 memoir Keep the Faith, which won an African American Literary Award in the biography and memoir category.
In the 2010s, Evans expanded her television and acting work, including the reality series R&B Divas and appearances in productions such as Girls Trip and The Fast and the Furious. Her albums Incomparable (2014) and The King & I (2017) continued her interest in combining mature R&B songwriting with hip-hop collaboration. The latter paired Evans with previously recorded vocals by The Notorious B.I.G., framing her long career through both remembrance and artistic continuity.