Shelina Wade, known professionally as Lina, was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Texas; she is an American contemporary R&B and soul singer. Her musical journey began at age four singing in church, and she later honed her gospel and jazz roots while touring with her church choir and performing with her mother. Lina’s first major industry breakthrough came in 1998 when she penned "Ain't Nothing Like a Jones" for Tyrese, establishing her reputation as a songwriter before signing with Atlantic Records in 2000. Her debut studio album, Stranger On Earth (2001), was released on August 21, 2001, and received critical acclaim for its blend of R&B and jazz; the single "Playa No Mo" peaked at Number 46 in the United Kingdom, and the album reached Number 89 on the Billboard R&B and Hip‑Hop chart, earning placement among Billboard’s Top 10 R&B Albums of the Year. After departing Atlantic, Lina joined Hidden Beach Records and launched her own label, Moodstar Recordings, in 2003. She released The Inner Beauty Movement (2005), whose lead single "Smooth" received national airplay and was nominated for a Soultrain Award in 2006. Subsequent releases included Morning Star (2008), the compilation Vintage (2010), and The Love Chronicles of a Lady Songbird (2012), the latter issued through Monarchy Records.
