Desirée Annette Weekes (born 30 November 1968), known by her stage name Des'ree (), is an English pop and

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

recording artist and songwriter, who rose to prominence during the 1990s. Known for her distinctive

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

voice and uplifting lyrics, Des'ree's biggest hits include the singles " Feel So High", "

You Gotta Be "You Gotta Be" is an R&B/ soul song by British singer and songwriter Des'ree, written by her with Ashley Ingram, who produced the song. It is the third track on the singer's second album, '' I Ain't Movin (1994), and the opening track on ...

", and "

Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

", as well as the ballad " Kissing You", which featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 film ''

Romeo + Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet or Romeo & Juliet may also refer to: Ballets * ''Romeo and Juliet'', a ballet score by Constant Lambert * Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev), ''Romeo and Juliet'' (Prokofiev), a ...

''. She was named Best British Female at the 1999 Brit Awards. Her other accolades include an

Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...

, a World Music Award, and four BMI Awards.

Early life

Des'ree was born in

Croydon Croydon is a large town in South London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a Districts of England, local government district of Greater London; it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater Lond ...

, South East

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, on 30 November 1968. Her mother is from

British Guiana British Guiana was a British colony, part of the mainland British West Indies. It was located on the northern coast of South America. Since 1966 it has been known as the independent nation of Guyana. The first known Europeans to encounter Guia ...

(now

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

), and her father is from

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

. She was introduced to

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

, calypso, and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

music by her parents. The family lived in Barbados for three years before returning to the UK when Des'ree was a teenager. Prior to entering the music business, her parents had hoped she would study

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

at university.

Career

1990s: Career beginnings and international success

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. 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. In 1993, Des'ree collaborated with

Terence Trent D'Arby Sananda Francesco Maitreya (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962), who started his career with the stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer and songwriter who came to fame with his debut studio album, '' Introducing the Hard ...

on the song " Delicate", which hit the UK top 20. Next, she performed for

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

at the

Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...

's inaugural concert of secular music, which aired on Italian television in December 1993; the event, Concerto di Natale, has been held with different artists every Christmas in the years since. In 1994, Des'ree's single "

" entered 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 nineteen months. Released a total of three times in the UK, it finally reached the top 10 in 1999 after a Ford Focus advertising campaign renewed its popularity. Her many live performances of the song include a 1995 episode of ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' and the closing ceremony of the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

. Des'ree's second album, '' I Ain't Movin''', was released in May 1994, selling in excess of 2.5 million copies worldwide and earning positive reviews, with the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' commending its lyrical content and Des'ree's "beautiful, dusky voice". The record's success led to a tour with Seal, which took place across North America between November 1994 and July 1995. Next, she was approached by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann to write a song for the soundtrack of his 1996 romance, ''

''. She appeared in a cameo role as "Diva" during one of the film's most iconic sequences, performing said track, " Kissing You", as

Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...

and

Claire Danes Claire Catherine Danes (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress. Prolific in film and television since her teens, she is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, ''Time (magazine), Time'' named he ...

' characters meet for the first time. "Kissing You" was roundly praised by critics, and went on to receive a Satellite Award nomination for Best Original Song. In 1997, Des'ree provided vocals for the Steve Winwood track " Plenty Lovin'". The following year, her single "

" 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". The album from which the single was taken, ''

Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...

'', was released in June 1998 to positive reviews, with American music critic J. D. Considine calling it "exquisitely listenable". ''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, reaching #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 The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' song " Blackbird" at Concert for Linda, a charity event in tribute to

Linda McCartney Linda Louise, Lady McCartney ( Eastman; September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) was an American photographer, musician, cookbook author, and activist. She was the keyboardist and harmony vocalist in the band Paul McCartney and Wings, Wings tha ...

, and collaborated with Ladysmith Black Mambazo on their cover of " Ain't No Sunshine", which peaked at number 42 in the UK. She subsequently put her music career on hold to focus on her private life.

2000s–present: Hiatus, other ventures, and return to music

Following the 2000 release of ''

Endangered Species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

'', a collection of B-sides and live tracks, 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. Next, she performed a sung

sonnet A sonnet is a fixed poetic form with a structure traditionally consisting of fourteen lines adhering to a set Rhyme scheme, rhyming scheme. The term derives from the Italian word ''sonetto'' (, from the Latin word ''sonus'', ). Originating in ...

from

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's '' The Merchant of Venice'' on the compilation album '' When Love Speaks''. Her fourth album, '' Dream Soldier'', was released in March 2003, with lead single " It's Okay" reaching #69 in the UK. ''Dream Soldier'' was not a commercial or critical success, which led to her parting ways with Sony, instead exploring her interest in

naturopathy Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult ...

and training as a nutritionist. In 2008, Des'ree performed at the O2 Arena for Young Voices' "Big Sing" charity concert, where she helped break the

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

for "most people simultaneously singing the same song" by leading 600,000 schoolchildren across the UK in singing her hit, "You Gotta Be". In 2011, she sang a lullaby on the sleep therapy CD, ''Sleep Talk Lullaby''. 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. ''

MusicOMH ''MusicOMH'' (stylized as ''musicOMH'') is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History ''MusicOMH'' was founded an ...

''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".

Other work

"Silent Hero", written by Des'ree and Prince Sampson, featured in

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...

'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 "

" (Des'ree, Ashley Ingram) featured in both '' The Next Karate Kid'' (1994) and ''

The Object of My Affection ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1998).

Lawsuits

In 1997, Des'ree's hit " Feel So High" was interpolated into the

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

song " Got 'til It's Gone" (from Jackson's album '' The Velvet Rope''), without due credit being given to Des'ree as a contributor. Subsequent releases containing the track would list Des'ree as one of its writers, following a successful lawsuit against Jackson.Ian Hyland
"Des'ree wins pounds 2m in Janet Jackson song copying war."
''Sunday Mirror'', 31 May 1998 In 2007, Des'ree filed a lawsuit against

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of 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 released without permission. The case was later dismissed, but not before editions of the album featuring the song were pulled from sale.

Personal life

Des'ree is a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

. In 2002, she took courses in photography and ceramics at the Camberwell College of Arts.

Accolades

Billboard Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...

BMI London Awards BMI Pop Awards Brit Awards Cash Box Year-End Awards

Ivor Novello Awards The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...

MTV Video Music Awards Satellite Awards World Music Awards

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Notes

* ¹ "Feel So High" originally peaked at number 51 on the UK singles chart in 1991. It was re-released in 1992 and peaked at number 13. In the US, the single featured on ''I Ain't Movin and did not chart until 1995. * ³ "Fire" was included on the 1998 edition of ''Supernatural'' as track 11. "You Gotta Be" replaced it when a new edition of the album was released in 1999.

As a featured artist

Promotional singles

References

External links

Official web site
* Des'reeat

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

* {{Authority control 1968 births Living people English women singer-songwriters English singer-songwriters English soul musicians English contraltos Neo soul singers Brit Award winners Alumni of Camberwell College of Arts English soul singers English people of Barbadian descent English people of Guyanese descent 20th-century Black British women singers 20th-century English women singers Singers from the London Borough of Croydon People from Croydon 550 Music artists S2 Records artists 21st-century Black British women singers 21st-century English women singers World Music Awards winners English contemporary R&B singers