R&B Singer-Songwriter & Chicago Music Scene Contributor; Gold-Certified Artist Known for "Be Careful"; Advocate for Abuse Survivors
Sparkle Biography
Stephanie Edwards, known professionally as Sparkle, is an American R&B singer and songwriter recognized for her contributions to contemporary R&B and the Chicago music scene. Edwards began her career as a protégé of producer R. Kelly and was the first artist to release an album on Kelly's Rockland label. Her self-titled debut album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B chart, earning gold certification. The album's single, "Be Careful," a duet with R. Kelly, peaked at No. 3 on the Rhythmic Top 40, held the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot R&B Airplay chart for six consecutive weeks, and reached No. 7 in the UK.
Following her debut, Edwards and Kelly experienced creative differences during the production of her second album, leading to her departure from Rockland/Interscope. She subsequently signed with Motown Records and released "Told You So," co-authoring much of the album. Edwards later returned with new solo material, including the single "We Are Ready" and the "Obstacle Course" EP. She has also performed background vocals for Toni Braxton in the Las Vegas stage show Toni Braxton Revealed.
Edwards was the first woman to publicly accuse R. Kelly of misconduct, stating in 2002 that her underage niece appeared in a widely publicized video. She served as a key prosecution witness in Kelly's trial for child pornography. Although her family members declined to testify and Kelly was acquitted, Edwards's decision to speak out had significant personal consequences, including estrangement from family members. She has stated that she felt a moral obligation to come forward.
Edwards participated in the Lifetime docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly," which highlighted her role in bringing attention to allegations against Kelly. Throughout her career, she has become a prominent advocate for victims of sexual and physical abuse, frequently speaking on issues related to the entertainment industry and survivor advocacy. Edwards continues to use her platform to support justice and raise awareness about abuse within the music industry.
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How do I book Sparkle to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Sparkle for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Sparkle, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Sparkle or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Sparkle
Speaking fees for Sparkle, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Sparkle are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Sparkle, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Sparkle speak about?
Sparkle is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Black Heritage, Black History Month, Celebrity, Diversity & Inclusion, Empowerment, Influential Women, Inspirational, Music, Personal Growth, Sexual Assault Recovery, Social Activism, Women, Women's Health, Women's Rights -
Where does Sparkle travel from?
Sparkle generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Sparkle’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Sparkle for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Sparkle for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Sparkle or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Sparkle is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Sparkle for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Sparkle generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jurnee Smollett, Gabrielle Union, Princess Nokia, Aisha Fukushima and Simone Biles. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sparkle for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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