The 411

History

Tanya Bryson and Tisha Martin, the latter known from children's television shows Kerching! and The Basil Brush Show, sang backing vocals for R&B singer Lemar on his cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" in 2002. A woman from Sony Music heard them and suggested that if there were more members, the label would be interested. Carolyn Owlett lived on the same street as Bryson, and Suzie Furlonger joined after meeting the others during the Notting Hill Carnival.

The group auditioned for Sony and secured a one-single record deal. The name The 411 was chosen because 4-1-1 is an information line in the United States; Owlett explained to Newsround that they liked the idea of people seeking information about them, and it also referenced Mary J. Blige's first album. Their debut single "On My Knees" reached the top 5 in the UK and the top 30 in Australia, leading to an album deal. The second single "Dumb" peaked at number 3 in the UK and also charted in Australia.

Both singles appeared on the album Between the Sheets, which included songs by Diane Warren, Redeye and the group themselves, as well as a cover of SWV's "Weak". The album was released in France and Japan; the French edition featured two new versions with French-language contributions from Mag and K'Maro, while the Japanese edition added bonus tracks "Drop Top Jeans" and "Soaking Wet" along with music videos. Between the Sheets was certified Silver on 10 December 2004.