TLC have had four members since forming in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1990: Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Crystal Jones. The current members are T-Boz and Chilli. Left Eye was a member until her death in 2002, and Crystal Jones was an original member from 1990 to 1991, before Chilli joined.
The group’s best-known line-up of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli had nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1990s, including four No. 1 singles: “Creep,” “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs” and “Unpretty.” Their album CrazySexyCool (1994) received a diamond certification from the RIAA. Here is each member and their role.
Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins – Primary Lead Vocals, Dancing (1990–present)
T-Boz is a founding member and has been in TLC since 1990. She sings primary lead vocals as well as background vocals and dances in the group’s performances.
Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas – Secondary Lead Vocals, Dancing (1991–present)
Chilli joined in 1991, taking over from Crystal Jones. She sings secondary lead and background vocals and dances. With T-Boz she has kept TLC going since 2002.
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – Rapping, Dancing (1990–2002)
Left Eye was a founding member and the group’s rapper. She also danced and sang background vocals. She remained a member until her death in 2002.
Crystal Jones – Secondary Lead Vocals, Dancing (1990–1991)
Crystal Jones was part of the original 1990 line-up, singing secondary lead and background vocals and dancing. She left in 1991, and Chilli took her place.
How TLC Formed
TLC began in 1990 with a concept from Atlanta record producer Ian Burke and one of his clients, teenager Crystal Jones, for a girl group with a tomboyish hip-hop image. Jones put out a call for two more singers and was joined by Tionne Watkins, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and Lisa Lopes, a rapper who had just moved to Atlanta from Philadelphia. The trio was first called 2nd Nature and worked on demos with producers Jermaine Dupri and Rico Wade.
On February 28, 1991, Watkins and Lopes signed production, management and publishing deals with Pebbitone. Jones left before the contracts were signed; her account and Watkins’s account of why differ. Pebbles found the new third member, Rozonda Thomas, who had been a part-time backup dancer for Damian Dame. Thomas signed in April 1991.
TLC Line-Up at a Glance
| Member | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins | Primary lead vocals, dancing | 1990–present |
| Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas | Secondary lead vocals, dancing | 1991–present |
| Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes | Rapping, dancing | 1990–2002 |
| Crystal Jones | Secondary lead vocals, dancing | 1990–1991 |
You can also browse the complete member line-ups of Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls and BTS.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where did the nicknames come from? When Thomas joined in 1991, the members took nicknames to keep TLC as an acronym of their names: Watkins became “T-Boz,” Lopes became “Left-Eye” and Thomas became “Chilli.”
- Who was the original third member of TLC? Crystal Jones, from 1990 to 1991.
- Who is still in TLC? T-Boz and Chilli.
- What are TLC’s No. 1 hits? “Creep,” “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs” and “Unpretty.”
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