Spotlight: Nona Hendryx

If the question is "Where's Nona Hendryx been?" the answer is "Busy." With more lives than an alley cat, Hendryx's chameleonlike career is one of astonishing twists and turns. Hendryx is an "ex-Bluebelle, ex-Labelle, and now music composer for stage and film," but that succinct assessment leaves gaps in the NYC-based performer's career. Hendryx began with R&B girl group Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles in the early Sixties. The group updated their image in the early Seventies and re-emerged as Labelle, backing Laura Nyro on 1971's Gonna Take a Miracle.

In 1975, "Lady Marmalade" rocketed Labelle into stardom. Its sassy lyrics and pumping beat defined the state of dance music, and the band followed suit, fusing funk and glam rock with soulful style. Hendryx emerged from the experience empowered and inspired. She dabbled in heavy metal when women – much less a black one – avoided it and was tapped for session work by Talking Heads, Prince, Peter Gabriel, and Keith Richards.

"My inspiration comes from many places, from God or whatever creator brought us to be," muses Hendryx about her boundless source of creativity. "I'm very into the metaphysical. I spend a lot of time reading about it."

Hendryx counts herself a fan of the "Lady Marmalade" remake in Moulin Rouge ("I do like Christina Aguilera"), yet she has her eye on a young singer of her own. "Najiyah. She's l0 years old, a gospel singer. Totally gifted and a natural with a voice like a young Mahalia or Aretha."

It's a good bet Najiyah will appear on Hendryx's latest project, Rhythmbank, a label intended for diverse recordings. Hendryx recently scored music for a film called On the One and works closely with a variety of rappers, hip-hop artists, and poets. While many artists of her generation are content on the nostalgia circuit, Nona Hendryx continues to experiment.

"Times change and I move on with time."