Desirée Annette Weekes^[1][2] (born 30 November 1968), known by her stage nameDes'ree (/ˈdɛz(ə)reɪ/),^[3] is a Britishpop andsoul recording artist and songwriter, who rose to prominence during the 1990s. Known for her distinctivecontralto voice and uplifting lyrics,^[4][5][6] Des'ree's biggesthits include the singles "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", and "Life", as well as the ballad "Kissing You", which featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 filmRomeo + Juliet. She was namedBest British Female at the1999 Brit Awards. Her other accolades include anIvor Novello Award, aWorld Music Award, and fourBMI Awards.

Des'ree was born inCroydon, SouthLondon,^[7] on 30 November 1968.^[8][9] Her mother is fromBritish Guiana (nowGuyana), and her father is fromBarbados. She was introduced toreggae,calypso, andjazz music by her parents.^[6] The family lived in Barbados for three years before returning to the UK when Des'ree was a teenager.^[10] Prior to entering the music business, her parents had hoped she would studylaw at university.^[6]

In 1991, at the age of 22 and with no connections in the music industry, Des'ree was signed toSony 550, having been encouraged by her then-boyfriend to send a demo tape to the label.^[11][2] 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 theUK 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 withSimply Red in July that same year, featuring as theiropening act.^[12] In 1993, Des'ree collaborated withTerence Trent D'Arby on the song "Delicate", which hit the UK top 20. Next, she performed forPope John Paul II at theVatican City's inaugural concert ofsecular 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.^[10]

In 1994, Des'ree's single "You Gotta Be" entered theBillboard Hot 100, peaking at number 5. It became the most-played music video onVH1 that year, and remained on theBillboard Recurrent Airplay Chart for nineteen months.^[10] Released a total of three times in the UK, it finally reached the top 10 in 1999 after aFord Focus advertising campaign renewed its popularity.^[13] Her many live performances of the song include a 1995 episode ofSaturday Night Live and the closing ceremony of the1996 Summer Olympics.^[14][15]

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 theChicago Tribune commending its lyrical content and Des'ree's "beautiful, dusky voice".^[16] The record's success led to a tour withSeal, which took place across North America between November 1994 and July 1995.^[12] Next, she was approached by Australian filmmakerBaz Luhrmann to write a song for the soundtrack of his 1996 romance,Romeo + Juliet.^[2] She appeared in acameo role as "Diva" during one of the film's most iconic sequences,^[17] performing said track, "Kissing You", asLeonardo DiCaprio andClaire Danes' characters meet for the first time.^[18] "Kissing You" was roundly praised by critics,^[19][20] and went on to receive aSatellite Award nomination forBest Original Song.^[21]

In 1997, Des'ree provided vocals for theSteve 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, aBBC 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".^[22] The album from which the single was taken,Supernatural, was released in June 1998 to positive reviews,^[23] with American music criticJ. D. Considine calling it "exquisitely listenable".^[24]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 number 185 on theBillboard 200.^{[citation needed]}

On 16 February 1999, Des'ree was namedBest British Female Solo Artist at theBrit Awards.^[25] Later that year, she performedThe Beatles' song "Blackbird" atConcert for Linda, a charity event in tribute toLinda McCartney,^[26] and collaborated withLadysmith 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.^[2]

Following the 2000 release ofEndangered Species, a collection ofB-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 thekilling of Damilola Taylor.^[27] Next, she performed a sungsonnet fromShakespeare'sThe Merchant of Venice on the compilation albumWhen Love Speaks. Her fourth album,Dream Soldier, was released in March 2003, with lead single "It's Okay" reaching number 69 in the UK.Dream Soldier was not a commercial or critical success, which led to her parting ways with Sony,^[28] instead exploring her interest innaturopathy and training as a nutritionist.^[29][28]

In 2008, Des'ree performed at theO2 Arena forYoung Voices' "Big Sing" charity concert, where she helped break theworld record for "most people simultaneously singing the same song" by leading 600,000 schoolchildren across the UK in singing her hit, "You Gotta Be".^[30] In 2011, she sang a lullaby on thesleep therapy CD,Sleep Talk Lullaby.^[31]

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.^[28][32]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".^[33]

"Silent Hero", written by Des'ree and Prince Sampson, featured inSpike Lee's 1995 filmClockers; "Feel So High" (Des'ree, Michael Graves) featured in the 1996 filmSet It Off; "Crazy Maze" (Des'ree, Peter Lord Moreland, Vernon Jeffrey Smith) featured in the 1997 filmNothing to Lose; and "You Gotta Be" (Des'ree, Ashley Ingram) featured in bothThe Next Karate Kid (1994) andThe Object of My Affection (1998), as well as the opening sequence number of the 2021 filmCinderella starringCamila Cabello.

In 1997, Des'ree's hit "Feel So High" was interpolated into theJanet Jackson song "Got 'til It's Gone" (from Jackson's albumThe Velvet Rope), without due credit being given to Des'ree as a contributor.^[34] Subsequent releases containing the track would list Des'ree as one of its writers,^[35] following a successful lawsuit against Jackson.^[36]

In 2007, Des'ree filed a lawsuit againstBeyoncé, claiming that the singer's cover of her song "Kissing You"—retitled "Still in Love (Kissing You)" and featured on the albumB'Day—was released without permission.^[37] The case was later dismissed, but not before editions of the album featuring the song were pulled from sale.^[28]

Des'ree is avegetarian.^[38] In 2002, she took courses in photography and ceramics at theCamberwell College of Arts.^[2]

Billboard Music Awards

BMI London Awards

BMI Pop Awards

Brit Awards

Cash Box Year-End Awards

Ivor Novello Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

RSH-Gold Awards [de]

Satellite Awards

World Music Awards

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

• Official web site
• Des'ree discography atDiscogs
• Des'ree atAllMusic
• Des'ree atIMDb

• 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

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