 Recorded after a lengthy break during which the band members became mothers or established solo careers, the album was En Vogue's first project to include a diverse roster of collaborators including credits from Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Organized Noize along with regular contributors Foster & McElroy.It marked their first album without founding member Dawn Robinson, who decided to leave the group late into the recording of "EV3" in favor of a solo recording contract, prompting the remaining trio to re-record much of the material for the album.Upon its release, "EV3" received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom praised the band's vocal performances but were critical with overall production of the album.