Your Secret Love is the tenth studio album by American R&B singer Luther Vandross, released by Epic Records in October 1996. The album's title track won the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and was nominated for Best R&B Song at the 39th Grammy Awards in 1997. The album served as Vandross's final album under Epic Records after being part of the record label for fifteen years.

Your Secret Love
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1, 1996
RecordedOctober 1995–July 1996
StudioCamel Island Studios
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Length60:14
Label
ProducerLuther Vandross (also executive), Marcus Miller, Nat Adderley, Jr.
Luther Vandross chronology
This Is Christmas
(1995)
Your Secret Love
(1996)
One Night with You: The Best of Love, Volume 2
(1997)
Singles from Your Secret Love
  1. "Your Secret Love"
    Released: August 20, 1996
  2. "I Can Make It Better"
    Released: November 26, 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Billboard(favorable)[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[4]
Music Week[5]
Muzik (Springer)[6]
(Jones)[7]
Q[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
Vibe(favorable)[8]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Your Secret Love"Luther Vandross, Reed Vertelney4:12
2."Love Don't Love You Anymore"Vandross5:12
3."It's Hard for Me to Say"Vandross, Skip Anderson4:34
4."Crazy Love"David Lasley, Robin Lerner, Marsha Malamet, Allan Rich5:13
5."I Can Make It Better"Vandross, Marcus Miller5:35
6."Goin' Out of My Head"Teddy Randazzo, Bob Weinstein5:17
7."I Can't Wait No Longer (Let's Do This)" (featuring Deidra "Spin" Roper of Salt-n-Pepa)Miller, Dee Dee Roper5:39
8."Nobody to Love"Vandross, Miller5:45
9."Whether or Not the World Gets Better" (featuring Lisa Fischer)Vandross5:31
10."This Time I'm Right"Vandross5:07
11."Knocks Me Off My Feet"Stevie Wonder3:44
12."Too Proud to Beg"Vandross, Vertelney4:50

Personnel

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  • Luther Vandross – lead vocals, vocal arrangements, arrangements (1, 5, 8), backing vocals (6)
  • Reed Vertelney – keyboards (1, 5), string programming (1), bass (1, 5), drum programming (1), arrangements (1, 5), drums (5), strings (5)
  • John "Skip" Anderson – additional keyboards (1), strings (1, 3), bass (1, 2, 3), arrangements (1, 5, 8), keyboards (2), synth strings (2), drums (2, 3, 8), acoustic piano (3), synthesizers (8), synth orchestra and arrangements (8),
  • Ivan Hampden Jr. – additional programming (1), drums (9, 10), percussion (9)
  • Marcus Miller – all instruments (4, 6), programming (4, 6, 7), arrangements (4, 6, 7), backing vocals (6), keyboards (7), guitar (7), bass (8, 10)
  • David Ward – additional programming (4), programming (7)
  • Nat Adderley Jr.vibraphone solo (7), acoustic piano (8, 10), arrangements (8, 9, 10), keyboards (9), synth bass (9)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10), additional guitar (4), acoustic guitar (7)
  • Yogi Horton – drums (8)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2, 3, 5, 8)
  • Kirk Whalum – saxophone solo (10)
  • Leon Pendarvis – string arrangements (2, 4)
  • Alfred Brown – music contractor (4, 9, 10)
  • Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (1-5, 7, 10)
  • Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (1-5, 7, 10)
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (1-5, 7, 10)
  • Brenda White-King – backing vocals (1-5, 7, 10)
  • Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (2, 4), lead vocals (9)
  • David Lasley – backing vocals (2)
  • Cheryl Lynn – backing vocals (2)
  • Cissy Houston – backing vocals (4, 10)
  • Deidra "Spin" Roper – rap (7)
  • Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (10), vocal contractor

Production

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  • Luther Vandross – producer, executive producer
  • Marcus Miller – producer (4, 6, 7)
  • Nat Adderley Jr. – producer (9, 10)
  • Ray Bardani – recording (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10), mixing
  • David Ward – recording (4, 6, 7)
  • Al Schmitt – orchestra recording
  • Mike Baumgartner – assistant engineer
  • Kyle Bess – assistant engineer
  • Greg Denon – assistant engineer
  • Mark Eshelman – assistant engineer
  • Paul Falcone – assistant engineer
  • Sue McLean – assistant engineer
  • Pat Weber – assistant engineer
  • Max Risenhoover – digital editing, sound designer (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Bibi Green – production coordinator (for Marcus Miller)
  • Pat Dorn – album coordinator
  • George Corsillo – art direction, design
  • Norman Jean Roy – photography
  • Guzman (Connie Hansen and Russell Peacock) – front cover photography
  • The Marsha Burns Co. / Gallin-Morey Associates – management
  • Max Szadek – personal assistant
Studios
  • Recorded at Camel Island Studios (Los Angeles, California) and Sony Scoring Stage (Culver City, California).
  • Mixed at The Hit Factory (New York City, New York).
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York).

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for Your Secret Love
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Your Secret Love at AllMusic
  2. ^ Reynolds, J.R. (1996-10-19). "Reviews & Previews: Albums" (PDF). Billboard. p. 61. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  3. ^ Kot, Greg (1996-10-11). "Luther Vandross Your Secret Love (Epic)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  4. ^ Browne, David (1996-10-04). "Your Secret Love Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  5. ^ "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 1996-09-28. p. 24. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  6. ^ Springer, Jacqueline (December 1996). "Luther Vandross: Your Secret Love" (PDF). Muzik. No. 19. p. 134. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  7. ^ Jones, Bob (December 1996). "Luther Vandross: Your Secret Love" (PDF). Muzik. No. 19. p. 158. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Luther Vandross - Your Secret Love CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  9. ^ Magazine, Rolling Stone (1992). The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music. ISBN 9780679737285.
  10. ^ "Luther Vandross ARIA Chart History complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9521". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  14. ^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  15. ^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  16. ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  17. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love". Music Canada.
  18. ^ "British album certifications – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love". British Phonographic Industry.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love". Recording Industry Association of America.