Though Solange Knowles didn't experience appreciable commercial success until the release of her second album, SOL-ANGEL AND THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS, she was already something of an R&B veteran by the time it hit the charts in mid-2008. While still a teenager, Solange had demonstrated a considerable aptitude for songwriting, penning a handful of hits for her sister, Beyonce, including 2006's "Upgrade U." Though her first solo album, which featured production from the likes of Timbaland and Jermaine Dupri, was something of a commercial and critical disappointment, her sophomore release, SOL-ANGEL & THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS, debuted in the Top 10 and saw Solange effectively drawing inspiration from both classic soul music and the slick post-modernist pop of acts like Gnarls Barkley.











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