Amel Larrieux broke out onto the music scene back in 1995 as one-half of Groove Theory. Her effortless vocals and thoughtful songwriting, coupled with Bryce Wilson’s production produced hit songs like “Never Enough” and “Tell Me.” Larrieux released four albums since Groove Theory disbanded in 1999—including her most recent, 2007’s Lovely Standards, a collection of classic jazz songs. She released "Afraid," her first single in five years this week (listen in below). ESSENCE.com spoke with Larrieux to discuss her five-year absence, what makes a song album-worthy and her forthcoming album, Ice Cream Every Day.