Nadine Shamir (9 February 1972 – 2 December 2004) was born in New York City but as an infant moved with her mother to Miami, Florida. Shamir traveled the world during her formative years and gained a deep passion for music. At 16 she released her first album on an independent label (she recorded under the name Nadine Renee). In 1995 her single Say You'll Stay was popular in the Miami and Los Angeles radio circuits. In 1996, Shamir teamed up with Miami DJ George Acosta under the moniker Planet Soul. Their single, Set U Free went all the way to #26 on Billboard's top 40 chart, crossed over to the R&B charts, and went on to become an international hit.