Bio

VERLANDA KATRICE SPANN and SPARKLE LASHAY ROBINSON aren’t your ordinary CUP OF TEA. When the two first met at an audition back in 1998, neither of them could have imagined they’d be singing as a SPICY NEW DUO today. Together their voices create a harmonious blend of POWERFUL SOUL, combined with the raw energy of pop. VERLANDA, age 24, a native of Chicago, Ill., began singing and performing in both school and her church choir at the delicate age of five. In the meantime, just south of Chicago in Dolton, Ill., SPARKLE, age 21, was also honing her young talents, performing and singing by the age of four. By the time these two young ladies met—auditioning for a female singing and dance group called 5.0.— they’re love and developing talent for singing had blossomed into TRUE PASSION. Unfortunately, shortly after uniting, the group 5.0. dismantled and VERLANDA and SPARKLE moved on to try their luck with yet another group called, Epiphany. While the experience with Epiphany proved to be beneficial to their growth as artists, after performing with them for a year, VERLANDA and SPARKLE decided to leave the group and pursue their careers together as musical artists. It was a perfect combination, with VERLANDA’S saucy style and soulful vocals seamlessly woven into SPARKLE’S fierce steelo and angelic voice. For VERLANDA and SPARKLE, it was just the right CUP OF TEA, and the saying couldn’t have been any more apropos. So in 2000 the girls decided to name themselves appropriately CUP OF TEA. It wasn’t long after forming CUP OF TEA that the ladies went to work recording demos and performing in numerous talent shows—where they would often claim first place. Now, CUP OF TEA is on the fast road to STARDOM. They’re journey is influenced by the very stature and success of such successful legendary artists as WHITNEY HOUSTON and MARIAH CAREY. With their STRONG DETERMINATION, DRIVE and FOCUS, CUP OF TEA will only forge ahead on their quest to similar pop super-stardom while looking forward to being renowned simply as “ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN MUSIC HISTORY”!