Nancy Martinez

In 1986, dance diva Nancy Martinez provided one of the year's definitive Latin freestyle singles, "For Tonight," an addictive gem that is right up there with Exposé's "Come Go With Me," TKA's "One Way Love," and the Cover Girls' "Show Me" (all of which were also released in 1986). The thing that separated the soulful Martinez from other female singers in the freestyle field was the fact that she sounded like a woman instead of a girl. While many female freestyle singers had thin, girlish voices, Martinez boasted a big, rich voice and an impressive range -- she could sing her head off. Another thing that separated Martinez from other freestylers was the fact that she didn't embrace freestyle 100 percent of the time; some of her dance-pop didn't have the strong salsa/Afro-Cuban influence that is heard on this 12" single (which contains four different mixes of "For Tonight"). Further, Martinez was from French Canada instead of New York or Miami. So when all of these things are added up, she was atypical of female singers who had freestyle hits in the '80s. Nonetheless, "For Tonight" is pure, unadulterated freestyle, and it's a single that enjoyed a great deal of exposure in the sort of Latin dance clubs that were going wild over Exposé, the Cover Girls, Nayobe, and TKA in 1986. For those with even a casual interest in Latin freestyle, "For Tonight" is essential listening. Period. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide