{{short description|American singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Bria Valente | image = Bria Valente, 2006.jpg | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = Bria Valente in December 2006 | birth_name = Brenda Fuentes | alias = | birth_date = <!-- {{birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year unless the exact date is already WIDELY published, as per WP:DOB --> | birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | origin = | genre = R&B | occupation = Singer, model | instrument = Vocals | years_active = 2001–present | label = {{ubl|NPG Records|Purple Music Switzerland}} | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }}
'''Brenda Fuentes''', better known by her stage name '''Bria Valente''',<ref name="Allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p974166|pure_url=yes}} Bria Valente]. AllMusic.</ref> is an American singer and model. A protégée of Prince, Valente released her debut album, ''Elixer'', as part of a three-album set with Prince's ''Lotusflow3r'' and ''MPLSound'' on March 29, 2009.<ref name="Allmusic"/> The collection debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart.<ref>"[http://www.accesshollywood.com/country-music/keith-urban-scores-first-no-1-album_article_16480 Keith Urban Scores First No. 1 Album]". April 8, 2009. ''Access Hollywood''. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref>
Valente was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She stated in an interview with Tavis Smiley that she first met Prince at the age of 17 at Paisley Park Studios while working with keyboardist Morris Hayes.<ref name="Smiley">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090502113436/http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200904/20090428_valente.html Bria Valente] interview. ''Tavis Smiley''. April 28, 2009. Retrieved June 26, 2009.</ref> She later moved to Los Angeles, California, and worked as a model and background dancer for Usher.<ref name="Allmusic"/> She is credited with backing vocals on Usher's 2001 album ''8701''.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}
Valente returned to Minneapolis, where she began her association with Prince, contributing vocals to his 2007 album, ''Planet Earth''.<ref name="Allmusic"/> Valente recorded ''Elixer'' in 2009; she sang lead vocals, with Prince on guitar, and Morris Hayes providing beats.<ref name="Allmusic"/><ref>Michaels, Sean (January 2, 2009) "[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jan/02/prince-plans-three-albums-for-2009 Prince to release three albums in 2009]". ''The Guardian''. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref> Prince described it as a quiet storm-style album.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/briavalente/albums/album/27136731/review/27314352/elixer] {{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The music review website Metacritic rated the album 49 out of 100, labeling it as having "mixed or average" reception, based on 12 reviews.<ref>"[http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/valentebria/elixer Bria Valente: Elixer (2009)]". Metacritic. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref> The album was released through the website lotusflow3r.com, as well as exclusively through American retailer Target.<ref>du Lac, J. Freedom (April 3, 2009). "[http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12038317 Prince's new three-album set includes some winners]". ''The San Jose Mercury News''. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref>
{{As of|2010}}, Valente was Prince's girlfriend. She also became a Jehovah's Witness during this period.<ref>Willis, Peter (July 5, 2010). "[https://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/07/05/prince-world-exclusive-interview-peter-willis-goes-inside-the-star-s-secret-world-115875-22382552/ Prince – world exclusive interview: Peter Willis goes inside the star's secret world]". ''Daily Mirror''. Retrieved on July 6, 2010.</ref> Purple Music, a Swiss-based record label released Valente's CD single "2 Nite" on February 23, 2012, as part of a Prince club remixes package including the single "Dance 4 Me" by Prince.
==Discography== '''Albums''' * ''Elixer'' (2009, NPG Records)
'''Singles''' * "2nite" (2012, Purple Music Switzerland) – remixes by David Alexander and Jamie Lewis, produced by Prince
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valente, Bria}} Category:Living people Category:American women singers Category:American contemporary R&B singers Category:Singers from Minnesota Category:American Jehovah's Witnesses Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women