Diane Charlemagne (22 February 1964 – 28 October 2015)
[ was a British jazz, soul, funk and electronic dance music singer and songwriter.
]
Biography
Charlemagne was lead singer with 1980s funk band
Band or BAND may refer to:
Places
*Bánd, a village in Hungary
*Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
* Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania
*Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
52nd Street
52nd Street is a -long one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan, New York City. A short section of it was known as the city's center of jazz performance from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Jazz center
Following the repeal of ...
, having replaced previous lead vocalist Beverley McDonald in 1984. In 1990, 52nd Street re-emerged as Cool Down Zone, with Charlemagne providing vocals as well as having writing credits on all 10 songs on their album ''New Direction''. Later she was lead singer with Urban Cookie Collective
Urban Cookie Collective are a British Eurodance band, best known for their 1993 hit single " The Key the Secret".
History
The band was founded by Rohan Heath (born 19 July 1964), the son of Guyanese writer Roy Heath. He learned to play clas ...
, who had two UK Top 10 hits in the 1990s.[
Charlemagne provided the vocal for ]Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ.
Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in t ...
's " Inner City Life",[
In 2006, she collaborated with Scape on the house track and dance chart hit ''Be My Friend'' (as D Empress). 2007, she collaborated with ]High Contrast
Lincoln Barrett (born 18 September 1979), better known by the stage name High Contrast, is a Welsh electronic music producer, DJ and record producer. He produces drum and bass music, and his 2009 album ''Confidential'' reached BPI gold cer ...
on his track "If We Ever" for the album '' Tough Guys Don't Dance''. The following year she worked with D:Ream, who had recently reformed, and in 2011, she collaborated with Aquasky on their dubstep track "Take Me There". In 2012, she collaborated with Netsky on his track "Wanna Die For You" for the album '' 2'', and worked with S.P.Y
S.P.Y is a Bristol based Brazilian DJ, record producer and musician from São Paulo, Brazil. He is influenced by genres such as house, UK garage, R&B and the jungle sound. He primarily releases his music through Hospital Records, the UK-based ...
on his drum and bass track "Hammer in My Heart" for the album ''What the Future Holds''.
In 2014, she again collaborated with S.P.Y
S.P.Y is a Bristol based Brazilian DJ, record producer and musician from São Paulo, Brazil. He is influenced by genres such as house, UK garage, R&B and the jungle sound. He primarily releases his music through Hospital Records, the UK-based ...
on the tracks "Dusty Fingers" and "Back To Basics" for the album ''Back To Basics Chapter One'' and then later on "Lost Orbit" and "Frozen" for the album ''Back To Basics Chapter Two''. She also worked with London Elektricity
Tony Colman (born 28 April 1961), better known by his stage name London Elektricity, is an English electronic musician and the co-founder and CEO of Hospital Records.
History
The first incarnation of London Elektricity was the duo Tony Colman a ...
and S.P.Y
S.P.Y is a Bristol based Brazilian DJ, record producer and musician from São Paulo, Brazil. He is influenced by genres such as house, UK garage, R&B and the jungle sound. He primarily releases his music through Hospital Records, the UK-based ...
on the track "I Am Somebody" for the Street Child World Cup.
In 2015, she provided the backing vocals for Ricky Valance's single "Welcome Home" in aid to raise money for various RAF charities.
After being diagnosed with kidney cancer
Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a group of cancers that starts in the kidney. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, lump in the abdomen, or back pain. Fever, weight loss, and tiredness may also occur. Complications can include sp ...
the previous year, Charlemagne died of the disease on 28 October 2015, aged 51.
Reception
BBC Entertainment News in 'Urban Cookie singer Diane Charlemagne dies at 51'
Discography
Albums
;with 52nd Street
*''Children of the Night'' (1986)
*''Something's Going On'' (1987)
Singles and EPs
;with 52nd Street
*"Can't Afford" (1984)
*"Tell Me How It Feels" (1985)
*"Last Chance" (1985)
*"I Can't Let You Go" (1986)
*"I'll Return" (1987)
*"Are You Receiving Me" (1988)
*"I Will Wait for You" (1988)
*"Superhuman" (2018)
;with Cool Down Zone
*"Heaven Knows" (1990)
;with Urban Cookie Collective
*" The Key the Secret" (1993)
*" Feels Like Heaven" (1993)
*" Sail Away" (1994)
*" High on a Happy Vibe" (1994)
;with Goldie
*"Timeless"/" Inner City Life" (1995)
;with Satoshi Tomiie
*"Come to Me" (1998)
*"Sincerity (Part 1&2)" (1999)
*"Inspired" (2000)
;with Master & Hess (Mobin Master & Hess Barber)
*"Troubled Girl" (2003)
;with Calibre
*"Bullets" (2005)
;with Cyantific
*"Don't Follow" (2005)
;with Scape
*"Be My Friend" (as D Empress) (2006)
;with 2020 Soundsystem and Pat Fulgoni
*"Your Love" (2006)
;with High Contrast
*"If We Ever" (2007)
;with Blame
*"Keep The Sunshine" (2008)
;with B-complex
*"Rolling with the Punches" (2010)
;with Netsky
*"Wanna Die for You" (2012) on '' 2''
;with Street Child World Cup feat. London Elektricity and S.P.Y
*"I Am Somebody" (2014)
;with Taxman
*"Rebirth" (2014)
References
External links
Discogs.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charlemagne, Diane
1964 births
2015 deaths
Deaths from kidney cancer
Deaths from cancer in England
20th-century Black British women singers
English house musicians
21st-century Black British women singers
Musicians from Manchester
English people of Ghanaian descent
English women in electronic music