Puff Johnson

Life and career

Ewanya Johnson was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Los Angeles, California.

She emerged on the music scene in 1996 with her first single "Forever More", produced by Narada Michael Walden and written by Walden, Puff Johnson and S.J. Dakota. It achieved its biggest success in New Zealand where it reached No. 5. Another single, "Over and Over", also from 1996, was a hit in Europe and Australia reaching the Top 30 in both continents. It appeared on the soundtrack of the film The First Wives Club. Both singles were released on the Work label.

She released her first and critically acclaimed album, Miracle, in 1996. The album was produced by Randy Jackson of American Idol fame, and was certified silver in the UK. Towards the end of the year Miracle reached the Top 40 in the Netherlands, and the single "Over and Over" hit the Top 20. She also collaborated with the Bay Area-based R&B group, Somethin' for the People, with Tupac Shakur on his song, "Me Against the World", which was featured on the Bad Boys movie soundtrack and appeared on his album Me Against The World.

In 1997, Johnson toured Europe as an opening act for Michael Jackson and 3T. She did not release any further material and slipped out of the limelight. However, Johnson was listed as a co-writer of three tracks of the 2005 album A Change Is Gonna Come by U.S. singer Leela James ("Good Time" along with Gordon Williams, James herself and Kenton Nix, "When You Love Somebody" with Gordon and James, and "Prayer" alongside Chucky Thompson and James). She was also credited as a co-writer of "Me" by Tamia, which appeared on her 2006 album, Between Friends. A demo version of "Me" recorded by Johnson was posted on her Myspace page, with minor lyrical differences.

Johnson lived in South Africa since January 2009, following her concert in Johannesburg. She attributed her decision to relocate to South Africa to the friendly and warm people that she had met throughout her journey in the country.

Johnson died of cervical cancer on June 24, 2013 at age 40.

Personal life

Johnson was married to producer Kip Collins, who died in 2006.

She was later involved with singer Ishmael Morabe, who she met in a studio in South Africa. They dated for almost two years in South Africa before she had issues with her Visa due to staying in the country too long without the correct documentation, and she could no longer stay there. They continued a long-distance relationship until about six months before she passed away in June 2013.

Albums

1996: Miracle