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Des'ree

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Des'ree
Birth nameDesirée Annette Weekes
Born (1968-11-30) 30 November 1968 (age 55)
Croydon, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1991–present
LabelsEpic Records, Sony Soho Square, 550, Stargazer Records

Desirée Annette Weekes[1][2] (born 30 November 1968), known by her stage name Des'ree (/ˈdɛz(ə)reɪ/),[3] is a British pop recording artist who rose to prominence during the 1990s. She is best known for her hit singles "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", and "Life", as well as the ballad "Kissing You", which featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. She was named Best British Female at the 1999 Brit Awards.

Early life

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Des'ree was born in Croydon, South East London,[4] on 30 November 1968.[5][6] Her mother is from British Guiana (now Guyana), and her father is from Barbados. She was introduced to reggae, calypso, and jazz music by her parents.

Career

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1990s: Early success

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In 1991, at the age of 22 and with no connections in the music industry, Des'ree was signed to Sony 550, having been encouraged by her then-boyfriend to send a demo tape to the label.[7][8] Her debut single, "Feel So High", was released in August 1991, just twelve weeks after her signing with Sony. The song did not initially reach the UK top 40, but hit number 13 when it was re-released in January the following year. Her debut album, Mind Adventures, was released in February 1992, peaking at number 26 in the UK. She toured the country with Simply Red in July that same year, featuring as their opening act.[9] In 1993, Des'ree collaborated with Terence Trent D'Arby on the song "Delicate", which hit the UK top 20 and the US top 100. On 23 December that year, she performed with a host of other artists at the inaugural concert of secular music at the Vatican City, which aired on Italian television. The event, Concerto di Natale, has been held with different artists every Christmas in the years since.

In 1994, Des'ree's single "You Gotta Be" hit the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 5. It became the most-played music video on VH1 that year, and remained on the Billboard Recurrent Airplay Chart for 80 weeks. The song was released a total of three times in the UK, eventually peaking at number 10 in 1999, following its appearance on several Ford Focus television commercials. Des'ree's second album, I Ain't Movin', was released in May 1994, selling in excess of 2.5 million copies worldwide. Its success led to a tour with Seal, which took place across North America between November 1994 and July 1995.[9] She also appeared as the musical guest on a February 1995 episode of Saturday Night Live, performing "You Gotta Be".[10] The following year, she contributed the song "Kissing You" to the soundtrack of the Baz Luhrmann film Romeo + Juliet. Des'ree appeared in a cameo role as "Diva" during one of the film's most iconic sequences,[11] performing "Kissing You" as Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes' characters meet for the first time.[12]

In 1997, Des'ree provided vocals for the Steve Winwood track "Plenty Lovin'". The following year, her single "Life" became a hit in Europe, reaching number 1 in many countries, as well as in Japan. In 2007, a BBC Radio 6 listeners' poll declared the song as featuring the "worst lyric in pop", its offending lines being, "I don't want to see a ghost/it's the sight that I fear most/I'd rather have a piece of toast/watch the evening news".[13] The album from which the single was taken, Supernatural, was released in June 1998 to positive reviews,[14] with American music critic J. D. Considine calling it "exquisitely listenable".[15] Supernatural was successful across Europe, hitting the top 5 in Italy and the Netherlands, and peaking at number 16 in the UK. It was less successful in the United States, peaking at 185 on the Billboard 200.

On 16 February 1999, Des'ree was named Best British Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards. Later that year, she performed The Beatles' song "Blackbird" at Concert for Linda, a charity event in tribute to Linda McCartney,[16] and collaborated with the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo on their cover of "Ain't No Sunshine". She subsequently put her music career on hold to focus on her private life.[8]

2000s–present: Career hiatus and return

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Following the 2000 release of a collection of B-sides and live tracks, Endangered Species, Des'ree contributed vocals to the charity single "Wake Up The Morning", which was released in November 2001 to mark the first anniversary of the killing of Damilola Taylor.[17] The next year, she contributed a sung sonnet from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice to the compilation album When Love Speaks.

Des'ree's fourth album, Dream Soldier, was released in March 2003, with lead single "It's Okay" peaking at number 69 in the UK. The album was not a commercial or critical success, which led to her label, Sony, parting ways with Des'ree after its debut.[18] She subsequently took a hiatus from music to focus on her interest in naturopathy,[19] while also training as a nutritionist.[20]

In 2008, Des'ree performed at the O2 Arena for Young Voices' "The Big Sing" charity concert, where she helped break the world record for "most people simultaneously singing the same song" by leading 600,000 schoolchildren across the UK in singing her hit, "You Gotta Be".[21] In 2011, she sang a lullaby on the sleep therapy CD, Sleep Talk Lullaby.[22]

Des'ree's first album in sixteen years, A Love Story, was released by her own label, Stargazer Records, on 11 October 2019. She had begun work on the album in 2014, but took an extended break to care for her mother.[18][23] MusicOMH's Nick Smith awarded it four stars out of five, noting the "subtle beauty and emotional power" of Des'ree's voice, and calling the album "a solid and engaging return".[24]

Other work

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"Silent Hero", written by Des'ree and Prince Sampson, featured in Spike Lee's 1995 film Clockers; "Feel So High" (Des'ree, Michael Graves) featured in the 1996 film Set It Off; "Crazy Maze" (Des'ree, Peter Lord Moreland, Vernon Jeffrey Smith) featured in the 1997 film Nothing to Lose; and "You Gotta Be" (Des'ree, Ashley Ingram) featured in both The Next Karate Kid (1994) and The Object of My Affection (1998).

Lawsuits

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In 1997, Des'ree's hit "Feel So High" was interpolated into the Janet Jackson song "Got 'til It's Gone" (from Jackson's album The Velvet Rope), without due credit being given to Des'ree as a contributor.[25] The subsequent maxi single, however, listed Des'ree as one of the song's writers,[26] following a successful lawsuit against Jackson.[27]

In 2007, Des'ree filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé, claiming that the singer's cover of her song "Kissing You"—retitled "Still in Love (Kissing You)" and featured on the album B'Day—was recorded and released without permission.[28] The case was later dismissed, but not before editions of the album featuring the song were pulled from sale.[18]

Personal life

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Des'ree is a vegetarian.[29] In 2002, she took courses in photography and ceramics at the Camberwell College of Arts.[8]

Awards and nominations

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Des'ree has won numerous accolades, including a Brit Award, an Ivor Novello Award, a World Music Award, an Urban Music Award, and a BMI Award for over five million plays of "You Gotta Be" in the United States alone.

BMI London Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2007 "You Gotta Be" 4 Million Award Won
2015 5 Million Award Won

BMI Pop Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1996 "You Gotta Be" Award-Winning Song Won [30]

Billboard Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1995 "You Gotta Be" Top Adult Contemporary Single Nominated

Brit Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1995 Herself British Female Solo Artist Nominated [31]
1999 Won [32]
"Life" British Single of the Year Nominated

Cash Box Year-End Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1995 Herself Pop Singles: Top New Female Artist Nominated [33]
"You Gotta Be" Top Pop Single Nominated

Ivor Novello Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1995 "You Gotta Be" Best Contemporary Song Won
1999 "Life" International Hit of the Year Nominated

MTV Video Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1995 "You Gotta Be" Best New Artist Nominated
Best Female Video Nominated

RSH Gold Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1999 Herself Catchy Tune of 1998 Won [34]

World Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1999 Herself World's Best Selling British Artist Won

Discography

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Albums

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Studio albums

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Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[35] 		AUS
[36] 		GER
[37] 		NLD
[38] 		NZ
[39] 		US
[40]
1992 Mind Adventures 26 39 53 57 — —
1994 I Ain't Movin'
  • Released: 9 May 1994
  • Label: Sony
  • Formats: CD, MD, cassette, digital download
 13 14 91 77 9 27
1998 Supernatural
  • Released: 29 June 1998
  • Label: Sony
  • Formats: CD, MD, cassette, digital download
 16 27 17 4 41 185
2003 Dream Soldier
  • Released: 31 March 2003
  • Label: Sony
  • Formats: CD, cassette, digital download
 — — — — — —
2019 A Love Story
  • Released: 11 October 2019
  • Label: Stargazer Records
  • Formats: Digital download
 — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that were not released in that country or did not chart.

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
Mystic Mixes
  • Released: 4 August 1999
  • Label: Sony
  • Format: CD
Endangered Species
  • Released: 23 October 2000
  • Label: Sony
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

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List of singles released, showing selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[35] 		AUS
[36] 		GER
[37] 		IRE
[46] 		ITA
[47] 		NLD
[38] 		SPA
[48] 		US
[49]
"Feel So High"1 1991 13 28 15 20 — 25 — 67 Mind Adventures
"Mind Adventures" 1992 43 89 94 — — — — —
"Why Should I Love You" 44 102 — — — — — —
"You Gotta Be" 1994 14 9 79 — 15 47 — 5 I Ain't Movin'
"I Ain't Movin'" 44 59 — — — — — —
"Little Child" 69 210 — — — — — —
"I'm Kissing You" 1997 83 17 — — — — — — Romeo + Juliet
"Life" 1998 8 8 8 3 1 1 3 — Supernatural
"What's Your Sign?" 19 167 65 — — 70 1 —
"You Gotta Be" (remix)3 1999 10 — 76 — — 77 1 —
"It's Okay" 2003 69 96 — — 59 — — — Dream Soldier
"Why?"[53] — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that were not released in that country or did not chart.

Notes

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  • 1 "Feel So High" originally peaked at number 51 in the UK Singles Chart in 1991. It was re-released in 1992 and peaked at number 13. In the US, the single did not chart until 1995 and featured on I Ain't Movin'.
  • 3 "Fire" was included on the 1998 edition of Supernatural as track 11.[54] "You Gotta Be" replaced it when the album was re-released in the UK in 1999, albeit not the 1999 Mix.[55]
[edit]
Song Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[56] 		AUS
[36] 		GER
[37] 		IRE
[46] 		NLD
[38]
"Delicate" (Terence Trent D'Arby, featuring Des'ree) 1993 14 99 56 23 45 Symphony or Damn
"Ain't No Sunshine" (Ladysmith Black Mambazo, featuring Des'ree) 1999 42 — — — — In Harmony
"Wake Up the Morning" (Together As One) 2001 161 — — — —
"—" denotes releases that were not released in that country or did not chart.

Promotional singles

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Title Year Album
"Sun of '79" 1992 Mind Adventures
"Competitive World"
"Fire"
(with Babyface) 		1998 Supernatural
"God Only Knows"[57]
"Best Days" 1999

References

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  1. ^ "Images for Des'ree - Supernatural". Discogs.com.
  2. ^ "Des'ree". Metro.co.uk. 27 October 2009.
  3. ^ "R.E.M win International Group presented by Des'ree | BRIT Awards 1995". YouTube. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  4. ^ Nina Myskow, "star challenge: Hanging on the telephone with... Des'ree.", Daily Mirror, 15 March 2003
  5. ^ Briton Hadden, Henry Robinson Luce (1995), Time, Volume 145, Issues 18–26, 1995.
  6. ^ Paul Sexton, "550 Music's Des'ree Gets 'Supernatural' On 3rd Set", Billboard, 13 June 1998.
  7. ^ Mann, Sam. "Living a Dream; British Soul Diva Des'ree Comes Back Fighting". Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Des'ree Archived 9 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Ben Sloan, Metro. Retrieved on 9 May 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Des'ree Concert History". ConcertArchives.org. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  10. ^ "February 11, 1995 – Bob Newhart / Des'ree (S20 E12)". The 'One SNL a Day' Project. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Romeo and Juliet Fish Tank Scene Makes Us Want to Dress Like an Angel". HuffPost. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Romeo + Juliet (1996) - Love at First Sight Scene". YouTube. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Des'ree takes bad lyric top spot". BBC. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 29 February 2008.
  14. ^ Lewis, Angela (20 June 1998). "Jazz: Album Reviews". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  15. ^ Considine, J. D. (21 August 1998). "Music Review: 'Supernatural'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Brit award winner Des'ree performs during "Here, There and Everywhere," a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall, in memory of Sir Paul McCartneys' late wife Linda. The soul singer sang the Beatles classic "Blackbird" at the concert". Alamy. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Stars release Damilola tribute single". BBC News. 26 November 2001. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  18. ^ a b c Bond, Nick (10 September 2019). "Whatever happened to Life and Kissing You singer Des'ree?". News.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Desree". Youngvoices.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  20. ^ "First Album Since 2003" (PDF). Republicamedia.net. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  21. ^ "Pembrokeshire-led Big Sing aims to smash its own record". Western Telegraph. 27 November 2008.
  22. ^ "Sleep Hypnotherapy - Sleep Talk Lullaby by Julie LangtonSmith and Des'ree". YouTube. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  23. ^ "You Gotta Be singer Des'ree returns with new album after career break". Melan Magazine. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  24. ^ Smith, Nick (18 January 2022). "Des'ree – A Love Story". musicOMH. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Janet Jackson / Des'ree Comparison". YouTube. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  26. ^ Q Magazine, July 1998.
  27. ^ Ian Hyland, "Des'ree wins pounds 2m in Janet Jackson song copying war.", Sunday Mirror, 31 May 1998
  28. ^ "Des'ree sues Beyonce over song". Metro. 18 April 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  29. ^ "On the Up and Up". People. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  30. ^ "Billboard". June 1996.
  31. ^ "BRIT Awards 1995 - YouTube". YouTube.
  32. ^ "BRIT Awards 1999 - YouTube". YouTube.
  33. ^ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1995/CB-1995-12-30.pdf#page=10
  34. ^ "RSH - Wie alles begann... - RSH Gold 1999". 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  35. ^ a b "Des'ree". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  36. ^ a b c Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
  37. ^ a b c "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Suchen nach "Des'ree"" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 21 March 2020. N.B. Select the Album tab to display albums chart peaks.
  38. ^ a b c "dutchcharts.nl > Des'ree in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  39. ^ "charts.nz > Des'ree in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  40. ^ "Billboard > Des'ree Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  41. ^ a b "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for 'Mind Adventures' (from bpi.co.uk)". BPI. Retrieved 19 November 2016 – via Imgur.com.
  42. ^ "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for 'I Ain't Movin' (from bpi.co.uk)". BPI. Retrieved 19 November 2016 – via Imgur.com.
  43. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 79.
  44. ^ a b Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
  45. ^ "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for 'Supernatural' (from bpi.co.uk)". BPI. Retrieved 19 November 2016 – via Imgur.com.
  46. ^ a b "The Irish Charts - All there is to know > Search results for 'Des'ree'". Fireball Media. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  47. ^ "Hit Parade Italia > Indice per Interprete: D" (in Italian). HitParadeItalia. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  48. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 16 January 1999 – via Google Books.
  49. ^ "Billboard > Des'ree Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  50. ^ "British single certifications – Des'ree – You Gotta Be". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  51. ^ "British single certifications – Des'ree – I'm Kissing You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  52. ^ "British single certifications – Des'ree – Life". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  53. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 152. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  54. ^ Supernatural: Des'ree: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads. [dead link]
  55. ^ Desree: Supernatural: Includes You Gotta Be (1999): CD: hmv.com.
  56. ^ UK chart peaks as featured artist:
  57. ^ "God Only Knows: Des'ree: Amazon.co.jp: Music". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
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