The Sweet Sounds of New Edition's Candy Girl
How Maurice Starr discovered and showcased a young vocal group that would later redefine R&B.
Before they unleashed classic albums like Heart Break and launched the successful solo careers of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, and Bell Biv DeVoe, New Edition was simply a fresh-faced quintet of talented teens from Boston. Maurice Starr, who had just helped craft New Kids On the Block into pop sensations, uncovered the vocal talents of 13-15-year-olds Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe, envisioning them as the next great boy band in the vein of the Jackson 5.
Their 1983 debut album Candy Girl, produced and arranged by Starr, would realize that vision, shaping the raw talents of five Black boys into a radio-friendly pop confection designed to charm young fans. Though missing the edgier urban touches showcased on later New Edition projects, Candy Girl captured a focal moment for five adolescents on the cusp of stardom, its slickly produced tracks showcasing vocal prodigies that would soon reshape R&B music.
Having recently helped launch New Kids On the Block into the pop stratosphere, Maurice Starr had gained experience shaping young male vocal groups into radio-ready sensations. When he discovered New Edition, Starr saw the same potential to mold these talented Black teenagers from Boston into the next great boy band. Just as the Jackson 5 had exploded from youthful prodigies into Motown superstars, Starr envisioned guiding New Edition into mainstream popularity.
Starr intentionally crafted Candy Girl into an upbeat, catchy pop album to realize his ambitions. The lead single, “Candy Girl,” set the tone with its bubblegum rhythm, tailor-made for Top 40 radio. “Popcorn Love” and “Is This the End” followed suit with danceable beats and sugary sweet lyrics about young love. The polished production, with synthesizers and funky guitar licks accentuating the melodies, was seamlessly designed for crossover pop appeal.
While later New Edition albums would reveal the members’ distinctive personalities through edgier R&B tracks, Starr’s pop instincts on Candy Girl sought the broadest possible audience. For all the vocal talent on display, this debut album was unapologetically adolescent in its musical approach. From the Jackson 5-esque album cover to its radio-friendly sound, Candy Girl showed Maurice Starr’s strategic vision to introduce New Edition’s talents within a familiar pop aesthetic. The result was a slick, eminently likable showcase of five teens on the brink of stardom.
Though guided by Maurice Starr’s production, the core appeal of Candy Girl was the prodigious vocal talent of five teenage boys from Boston. Ranging from just 13 to 15 years old during the album’s recording, each member of New Edition brought raw talent honed from singing in church choirs and local talent shows.
As lead vocalist, 15-year-old Ralph Tresvant displayed stunning range and emotion on songs with “Jealous Girl” and “Gotta Have Your Lovin’,” emerging as the group’s central figure. Tresvant’s talent for smooth ballads balanced the upbeat dance numbers. Supporting Tresvant was 14-year-old Bobby Brown, whose boundless energy and charisma showed early flashes of the showmanship that would fuel his successful solo career. Meanwhile, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe, both just 13, provided backing vocals reinforced by Ricky Bell at 15.
United by their roots in Roxbury and vocal abilities nurtured at a young age, the quintet formed a tight musical bond under Starr’s guidance. While Candy Girl presented a unified pop sound, hints of each member’s personality peeked through. Tresvant’s soulful leads, Brown’s playful exuberance, and the others’ backing support revealed a balanced chemistry. Though still adolescents, Candy Girl displayed the individual strengths that would soon power New Edition’s artistic evolution. Their talents were raw but undeniable.
While showcasing the members’ talents, the music of Candy Girl ultimately reflected Maurice Starr’s pop instincts in shaping New Edition’s sound. Uptempo tracks were upfront in their formulaic construction, with catchy hooks, bubbly synthesizers, and funky guitar licks designed explicitly for radio play. These songs celebrated puppy love and adolescent crushes, matching the quintet’s youthful energy with upbeat rhythms and sugar-sweet lyrics.
But Starr also wisely balanced this radio-ready sound with ballads, including “Jealous Girl,” to reveal the members’ vocal abilities. On these slower tracks, Ralph Tresvant’s stunning lead vocals demonstrated his prodigious talent, while the rich harmonies from Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, and Ricky Bell showed group cohesion. Although just teenagers, their performances exhibited remarkable maturity in these ballads.
However, the edgier new jack swing sound and streetwise persona New Edition embraced on later albums like 1988’s Heart Break were noticeably absent. Candy Girl existed firmly in the squeaky-clean pop realm. Nevertheless, glimpses of greater depth in the songs mentioned earlier hinted at artistic evolution to come. But this debut album encapsulated five adolescents on the cusp of stardom, with Starr smartly spotlighting their talents within a familiar pop aesthetic. It was an assured first step on the way to R&B greatness.
New Edition’s debut album Candy Girl showcased the incredible promise of five teenage vocalists while bearing all the hallmarks of Maurice Starr’s pop instincts. Though the members’ emerging identities and innovations would be revealed over later projects, this debut encapsulated a foundational moment. Starr strategically introduced New Edition’s talents within cheerful pop compositions tailor-made for young audiences. The result was a charming time capsule of adolescents on the cusp of stardom, not yet the pioneering group who would redefine R&B. Still, their abilities were undeniable, even at the start. Candy Girl was their introduction—the sweet sounds of a vocal group ready to make their mark.