LETTING GO : Rolling Stone

After leaving En Vogue to pursue a solo career, Dawn Robinson's first project will be recording a rock album with Dr. Dre. The announcement comes shortly before the release of En Vogue's third album, "EV3," which is scheduled for release June 17. The group will continue as a trio, a spokesperson for Elektra said, with Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones and Cindy Herron sharing lead vocal duties.

\par \par Dre said last month that Robinson had signed to his label, Aftermath Entertainment, but Robinson at the time indicated she was still a member of En Vogue.

\par \par "For the king of rap to want to work with talent in the R&B world shows how open he is," Robinson said in a statement released by Aftermath. "The songs on the album won't be all love songs or R&B or hip hop. There might even be what Dre calls 'ghetto metal.' There's a feistier, funkier street vibe to me, which has always been different from the other girls. This is a new adventure and we're going to put out a bomb album."

\par \par En Vogue entered the studio with Robinson still a part of the group, but recorded three songs slated for release as singles -- including the Babyface-produced first single, "Whatever" -- without Robinson shortly after she signed her solo deal. The final mix of "EV3" will include Robinson's vocals on about half the tracks, and she also sings lead and appears in the video for "Don't Let Go," En Vogue's current hit from the "Set It Off" soundtrack.

\par \par "They started recording as a trio about three-quarters of the way into the project," said Elektra spokesperson Beth Jacobson. "At that point Dawn had the deal with Aftermath and there was talk of her being in a sitcom -- things that would take her away from En Vogue. She decided she was interested in pursuing other things and would not be able to devote the next two years to touring for the En Vogue record."

\par \par The first Aftermath release was last fall's sampler album, "Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath," which includes tracks by rapper King T and R&B artists including Kim Summer