▁White . ▁ ▁She ▁began ▁playing ▁piano ▁at ▁ 8 , ▁after ▁she ▁saw ▁a ▁class mate ▁perform , ▁and ▁learned ▁to ▁read ▁h ym ns ▁before ▁beginning ▁to ▁study ▁classical ▁music ▁at ▁ 1 1 . ▁At ▁ 1 3 , ▁she ▁expanded ▁her ▁re per toire ▁to ▁include ▁jazz ▁and ▁had ▁her ▁first ▁rec ital . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁her ▁a unt , ▁a ▁church ▁cho ir ▁director , ▁asked ▁Sun sh ine ▁to ▁fill ▁in ▁for ▁her ▁during ▁a ▁Sunday ▁service ▁at ▁a ▁Catholic ▁church ; ▁she ▁was ▁subsequently ▁h ired ▁by ▁churches ▁of ▁all ▁denomin ations , ▁including ▁the ▁A ME ▁Church , ▁where ▁she ▁performed ▁with ▁the ▁award - win ning ▁Wil ming ton / Ch ester ▁Mass ▁Ch oir . ▁ ▁White , ▁who ▁sang ▁in ▁her ▁high ▁school ▁cho ir , ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Country ▁Day ▁School ▁of ▁the ▁Sac red ▁Heart ▁in ▁Bry n ▁M aw r , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁She ▁attended ▁Sp el man ▁College ▁in ▁Atlanta , ▁and ▁although ▁she ▁en rolled ▁as ▁a ▁piano ▁major , ▁she ▁changed ▁course ▁after ▁she ▁became ▁dis ill usion ed ▁with ▁the ▁music ▁program . ▁Sun sh ine ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁philosophy ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ ▁In ▁college , ▁White ▁met ▁Ma ia ▁N ken ge ▁Wilson , ▁a ▁vocal ▁major , ▁and ▁together ▁they ▁formed ▁a ▁g ospel ▁and ▁R & B ▁singing ▁du o , ▁D ais y