Robbie Nevil

by Tom DemalonRobbie Nevil burst onto the music scene in 1986 with the infectious "C'est la Vie," which climbed into the Top Five on the American pop charts. However, Nevil had actually been a working songwriter prior to making a name for himself as a solo artist. Having played guitar since the age of 11, Nevil cut his teeth in a series of cover bands, eventually progressing to performing his own, original material. In 1983, he signed a publishing deal and managed to place tracks on albums by artists including the Pointer Sisters, El DeBarge, and Earth, Wind & Fire (whom had been an early influence on him). By 1986, Nevil had signed a recording deal with Manhattan and proceeded to record his debut with producers Alex Sadkin and Phil Thornalley. Buoyed by the lead single "C'est la Vie," his self-titled debut sold well enough to push into the Top 40 and spawn two more hits, "Dominoes" and "Wot's It to Ya" (which became his second Top Ten single). It would be four years before Nevil would release his sophomore effort, A Place Like This, and its sales failed to come close to his debut, although he did manage to scratch his way into the Top 40 when "Back on Holiday" peaked at number 34. Day 1 followed a year later, but received even less attention. His own recorded output since then has been limited to compilations, but he has continued to write and produce for artists like Babyface, Jessica Simpson, and Destiny's Child, focusing on the development of the careers of others.