Angela Bofill

Angela Tomasa Bofill (born May 2, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter of Cuban-Puerto Rican origins. A New York native, Bofill began her professional career in the mid-1970s. Bofill is most known for singles such as, "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Angel of the Night", and "I Try". Bofill's career spans over four decades. Biography Early life and education Bofill was born on May 2, 1954, in the Brooklyn area of New York City to a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother. Raised in The Bronx, Bofill grew up listening to Latin music and was also inspired by African-American performers. During Bofill's childhood, her weekends were taken up studying classical music and singing in New York City's All City Chorus, which featured the best singers from all of the high schools in the five boroughs. For high school, Bofill attended Hunter College High School; graduating in 1972. Bofill later studied at the Manhattan School of Music, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in 1976. Career Bofill began her professional career, singing during her teenage years. Bofill performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus before being introduced to Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen of the jazz label GRP Records by Dave Valentin, her friend and jazz flutist. Grusin and Rosen signed Bofill and produced her first album, Angie, in 1978. Angie was well received both critically and commercially and included the chart single "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" (co-written by Gwen Guthrie and Haras Fyre), and Bofill's sprawling jazz composition, "Under the Moon and Over the Sky". Less than a year later, a second album, Angel of the Night was released and outperformed its predecessor. The album included the chart singles "What I Wouldn't Do (For the Love of You)" and the up tempo title track, as well as the song "I Try", written by Bofill and covered by Will Downing in 1991. The reception of these albums positioned Bofill as one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B and jazz markets.