Ex Girlfriend (group)

Lore & Background

The group originated as Petite in the mid-1980s, formed by Kimberly Davis, Julia Robertson, Monica Boyd, and Tisha Hunter while attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. After releasing the album *Teens* in 1986 and failing to achieve mainstream success, Davis left and was replaced by Kennethia 'Kenne' Pierce. In 1989, Petite attracted the attention of Full Force, who signed them to Forceful Records and added Stacy Francis to the lineup, renaming the group Ex Girlfriend. The members adopted the surname 'X' as part of a concept of 'female militarism'.

Reader's Guide

Ex Girlfriend's significance lies in their brief but notable impact on early 1990s R&B, particularly through their debut album *X Marks the Spot* and the top-five R&B single 'Why Can't You Come Home'. Despite the commercial failure of their second album *It's a Woman Thang* (1994) and their disbandment in 1995, the group's members went on to varied solo careers, including Stacy Francis's appearance on *The X Factor USA* and Julia Robertson's continued music releases into the 2020s. Their legacy is tied to the new jack swing era and the mentorship of Full Force.

Did You Know?

• The group originally formed as Petite in the mid-1980s with Kimberly Davis, Monica Boyd, Julia Robertson, and Tisha Hunter.
• Their single 'Why Can't You Come Home' peaked at number 6 on the Hot R&B Singles chart in 1991.
• Stacy Francis became a finalist in the first season of *The X Factor USA* in 2011.