She released a number of dance hits, the most notable being "Closer than Close", which made the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1997.
Seacer called Gaines one day and asked her to come to Minneapolis, Minnesota to sing a demo of a song for The Pointer Sisters.
While she was doing the demo, Prince came in the recording studio, was impressed by her abilities and asked her to join his band The New Power Generation.
The "Closer than Close" remix was commercially very successful in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart,.
The track earned Gaines a MOBO Award for Best International Single at the ’97 Awards show (beating the likes of P Diddy, previously known as Puff Daddy, R Kelly and Tina Moore), and inspired Gaines to record a follow-up club track, "I Surrender", which was released later that year.
The remix of "Closer than Close" is now considered a club classic, and has been re-remixed a number times since its initial release.
She also self-released the album Soul Survivor in 2013, which included 5 songs from You Gave Me Freedom alongside new and previously unreleased material.
[3][4] In early 2015, Gaines's friend and fellow singer Brenda Vaughn organized a benefit concert in Oakland for her recovery and support.
Tone!, Wilton Rabb of Graham Central Station, Tuck and Patti, Tony Dwayne and Levi Seacer, Jr.[3][4] As of 2016, Gaines was living with her daughter.