As I’m working my way through Madonna’s discography, it’s become apparent how many current pop stars borrow heavily from the template she set. What’s also apparent is that it took quite some time before the imitators started to come out of the woodwork-with one glaring exception.
As Madge was going through the first of many reinventions-from trashy boy toy to blonde bombshell, an unknown by the name of Regina appeared on the scene boasting a name, a look, and a voice very similar to “Like a Virgin”-era Madonna. The end result was a very short-lived career, consisting of one big hit, “Baby Love”. A top 10 hit in the summer of 1986 (just as “Papa Don’t Preach” was climbing the charts), the helium voiced singer caught lightning in a bottle with what might have been the most note-perfect Madonna ripoff in history. By the time Regina could even get it together for a follow-up or a full length album, the real deal had returned and rendered the imitation unnecessary.
Still, as far as Madge rips go, “Baby Love” is a damn good one, cooing kid in the intro and all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siUWsDkMGTY
3 comments
carlos says:
Sep 1, 2010
Nice one!
You should write about Alisha, yo. Much more hi-nrg than madonna-copying, but as a kid growin up in the hood, you couldn’t escape her at local dances and whatnot. “Too Turned On,” “Baby Talk,” “All Night Passion”… classics! Surprised to see on wikipedia that none really crossed over, as they seemed omnipresent at the time to me!
-C
carlos says:
Sep 1, 2010
Actually, I take that back. Listening now, for the first time in 15 years, she is totally a Madonna-wannabe. hahaha Great songs though!
-C
blerd says:
Sep 1, 2010
“Too Turned On” and “All Night Passion” were ALL over the radio in NYC…I’m surprised they weren’t bigger hits as well. They’ve held up pretty well over the years, too!! For some reason, though, my mind had them as coming out earlier than they actually did. I would have initially pegged Alisha as a contemporary of Madonna instead of a follower!