Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	(B-)
Chicago Tribune	6/97, p.7
Entertainment Weekly	(C+)
Los Angeles Times
Newsweek	(favorable)
Rolling Stone
Spin	(7/10)
The State

EV3 is the third studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue released on June 17, 1997 on East West Records. The album features the three US Pop & R&B hits; "Don't Let Go (Love)", "Whatever" and "Too Gone, Too Long".

Originally called Friendship, the album was En Vogue's first project that was not fully produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster; the then quartet called on hitmakers Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, and Ivan Matias among others to provide the group with a new modern sound.

EV3 was the last album recorded with Dawn Robinson who decided to leave the group for a solo career. Her abrupt departure from En Vogue forced the remaining trio to re-record several of Dawn's original lead vocals; however, not every track was re-recorded, with Dawn's leads remaining intact on several tracks and her background vocals still appearing on every song with the exception of "Does Anybody Hear Me".

The album was recorded at Brandon's Way Recording Studio, Doppler Recording Studios, The Record Plant, Music Grinder, FM Studios, Chartmaker Studios & Westlake Studios.

The track "Let It Flow" reuses the main riff of the 1977 hit single "Slide" by funk band Slave.

EV3 spawned three hit singles. The lead single, "Don't Let Go (Love)" was worldwide hit and peak #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The single sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

The second single, "Whatever" peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was certified gold by the RIAA after sales of over 500,000 copies.

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