Whisper a Prayer

Whisper a Prayer features writing and production from Narada Michael Walden, Rod Temperton and Terry Britten all of whom were top record producers at the time.

In Billboard, Larry Flick explained 'her pregnancy provided some of the creative focus needed to formulate what appears to be her long-desired commercial breakthrough.'

Walden expressed, "It was important that this album had some of the hard, soulful grit of my other records, but it also needed a clean quality that's accessible to a lot of people".

"[21] (which was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame);[22] Temperton penned the Michael Jackson hits "Rock with You", "Off the Wall" and "Thriller";[23][24] whilst Lind co-wrote Madonna's "Crazy for You" and Vanessa Williams's "Save the Best for Last", which both topped the US Hot 100, the latter being named "Song of the Year" by ASCAP in 1993.

In a contemporary review by Entertainment Weekly, James Earl Hardy expressed, 'Mica Paris finally lives up to the sensation her debut single' and that 'Her breathy alto is equally as classy and confident with pop ("I Never Felt Like This Before") as it is with hip-hop soul ("You Got a Special Way") and sexy R&B ballads ("You Put a Move on My Heart")'.

In addition to this, Hamilton expressed that Paris "is the most exciting female vocalist to come along in some time" but noted that "unlike her first LP, which scored a minor R&B hit with "My One Temptation", none of these excellent songs made much of an impact".

Easlea described the album as "a remarkable pedigree" thanks in part to "backing singers like Siedah Garrett, producers including Narada Michael Walden and Rod Temperton, and writers such as Graham Lyle on board".

Easlea described "I Bless the Day" as "sweet and light, floating along with Paris’ emotive voice at once commanding and sensitive" and the "Drizabone-mixed swingbeat of Two in a Million" as "spry and sugary".

Using "You Put a Move on My Heart" as one such an example he wrote, "a song as beautiful and passionately delivered [...] you long for it being recorded at a different time, not with Paris in front of a keyboard with an orchestra setting button and a drum machine".

He also noted the "90s contraptions [...] present and correct on the album’s opener, I Never Felt This Way Before", writing that "it may be ultra-smooth but the overall effect is like a cut-price version of a cut from Anita Baker's Rapture".

Narada Michael Walden (pictured) co-wrote and produced several songs on Whisper a Prayer.
Matthew Rolston (pictured) directed the music video for " I Wanna Hold on to You ".