In the later part of last decade and the early part of this one, British neo-soul duo Floetry — Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart — were both in-demand songwriters (credits include Bilal and Michael Jackson) and recording artists, releasing two studio full-lengths and a live record between the years of 2001 and 2005. While each of the albums did pretty well in the U.S. — 2005’s horribly titled Flo’Ology even crept into the Top Ten on the Billboard charts — Floetry never really seemed convincing as a lasting entity. Their songs had a tendency to sound the same: too long and too winding, and Ambrosius particularly was all too willing to launch into an endless melisma that erased any kind of subtlety that might have existed. Both Stewart and Ambrosius were clearly talented musicians, and worked well off one another, but as a duo they seemed to lack focus and direction.

• Floetry — Fun
• Floetry — Butterflies
• Floetry — Imagination

It therefore makes a lot of sense that as a solo artist (Floetry, while not officially broken up, hasn’t been doing much in the past few years) Ambrosius has really stepped into the spotlight, at least as far as featured-guest/back-up-singer spotlights go. Signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records and with plans for a full-length on the way (she’s already released a mixtape, Neo Soul Is Dead: The Chronic Mixtape), Ambrosius has kept herself busy as a go-to vocalist, with everyone from the Game to Nas to Busta Rhymes to Styles P to most recently, Freeway and fellow neo-soulstress Alicia Keys turning to her for contributions. In the context of a hook she’s more contained and palatable than with Floetry (though she does have a little more breathing room in “Why You Hate the Game,” and takes full advantage of it, singing her way through abstract, monotone melodies), with a voice that’s expressive and professional, but not particularly distinctive — all crucial back-up singer traits. Instead of just showing off her range and abilities, these shorter spots force Ambrosius to concentrate her efforts on making however long she has as strong as she can, and it shows. Her performance on Styles P’s “I’m Black,” for example, is excellent, equal parts unabashed passion and controlled melody.

• Styles P — I’m Black
• Nas — Hustlers (with the Game)
• The Game — Why You Hate the Game (with Nas)
• Freeway — This Can’t Be Real

If any of this will transfer to her solo album it’s still hard to say (the tracks on the mixtape are too short to really tell — though, thanks to her label connections, she gets to sing over “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” which at least assures there will be good production), but in any case, well, she certainly has an impressive list from which to choice her own guests, which, honestly, may be enough.