Kiki Dee | |
|---|---|
 Dee in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Pauline Matthews (1947-03-06)6 March 1947 (age 78) Bradford,West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | kikiandcarmelo |
Pauline Matthews (born 6 March 1947),[1] better known by herstage nameKiki Dee, is an English pop singer. Known for herblue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign withMotown'sTamla Records.[2][3][4]
Dee is best known for the hit singles "Amoureuse" (1973), "I've Got the Music in Me" (1974) and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart",[5] her 1976 duet withElton John, which reached number one on theUK singles chart and the USBillboard Hot 100chart. Her 1981 single "Star" became the theme song for the talent showOpportunity Knocks when it was revived by theBBC in 1987.[6] In 1993, she performed another duet with John for hisDuets album, acover version ofCole Porter's "True Love",[5] which reached number two in the UK. During her career, she has released 40 singles, three EPs and 12 albums.
Dee was born inBradford,West Riding of Yorkshire, England.[1] At the age of 10 she won a local talent contest, and at 16 she had her first paid job in show business. "I realised when I sang at family parties and Christmases I'd suddenly get everyone's attention and, being the youngest of three, I thought what a brilliant attention-seeking ploy it was", stated Dee in a 2013 interview. She added: "My older brother had a lot ofElvis on vinyl and really that was my first introduction to music during the Fifties."[7]
Aged 16, Dee worked atBoots in Bradford during the day, while in the evenings she sang songs with a dance band inLeeds. A record scout liked her singing and invited her to London for anaudition. There, in 1963, she signed as a solo artist toFontana Records.[7]
After singing with a local band in Bradford in the early 1960s, Dee began her recording career as a session singer. She sang backing vocals forDusty Springfield, among others, but did not achieve solo success in the UK for many years. In 1963, Dee released her first single, "Early Night",[1] the first of eleven singles on Fontana, none of which reached the charts. Her 1966 release "Why Don't I Run Away From You" (a cover ofTami Lynn's "I'm Gonna Run Away From You")[1] was a big hit onRadio London andRadio Caroline, and she sang theB-side "Small Town" in her appearance inDateline Diamonds the same year. Also in 1966, she achieved wider coverage by singing "Take a Look at Me" in the hit comedy,Doctor in Clover. She brought out anEP,Kiki In Clover – which included "Take a Look at Me" – at the same time as the film's release.[8][better source needed] She was one of the backing vocalists onLove Affair's 1968 UK number one singleEverlasting Love.[9]
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She recorded her debut album,I'm Kiki Dee, in 1968 which included a series ofPhil Spector-style tracks and covers.[3] Her 1968 release "On a Magic Carpet Ride", which was originally a B-side, has remained popular on thenorthern soul circuit. Much of her early recorded work for Fontana Records, was released on 24 January 2011, on the CD compilationI'm Kiki Dee.
SongwriterMitch Murray created herstage name, and penned her first single, "Early Night".[10] In the United States she became the firstwhite British artist to be signed byMotown,[4][5] releasing her first Motownsingle in 1970.
In the days beforeBBC Radio 1, Dee was a regular performer of cover versions onBBC Radio, and she starred with a group of session singers in theBBC Two singalong series,One More Time. She also appeared in an early episode ofThe Benny Hill Show in January 1971, performing theBlood, Sweat and Tears hit, "You've Made Me So Very Happy". Nevertheless, it was only after she signed with Elton John's label,The Rocket Record Company, that she became a household name in the UK.[1] Her first major solo hits were "Amoureuse"[1] (written byVéronique Sanson, with English lyrics byGary Osborne) (1973) and "I've Got the Music in Me"[1] (written byTobias Stephen Boshell), the latter credited to the Kiki Dee Band (1974).[5] In addition to her burgeoning career as a lead vocalist, she could sometimes be heard singing backing vocals on various John recordings, such as "All the Girls Love Alice" fromGoodbye Yellow Brick Road and various tracks onRock of the Westies.
Dee's biggest hit came in 1976, a duet with John, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (pseudonymously written by John and lyricistBernie Taupin).[1] The single reached number one in both the UK and US, remaining at the top for six weeks in the UK.[11] At the end of the summer, she played as support act toQueen at theirHyde Park concert in front of a crowd of 150,000 people. Prior to the concert, in an interview forRecord Mirror, she stated, "My confidence is at an all-time high."[12]
After a quiet period in the late 1970s, Dee launched a comeback in 1981, releasing one of her biggest hits, "Star",[1] written byDoreen Chanter of theChanter Sisters. This later became thetheme music to theBBC1 programmeOpportunity Knocks between 1987 and 1990. Dee joined forces again with John in 1981, recording a cover of theFour Tops' song "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" which was written byIvy Jo Hunter andStevie Wonder. Both of these were included on her albumPerfect Timing,[13] which became a modest hit on the album chart, and she supplied backing vocals for John's 1983 albumToo Low for Zero.[citation needed] Dee also sang the song "What Can't Speak Can't Lie" (1983), composed and recorded by the Japanesejazz fusion groupCasiopea, and with lyrics by Gary Osborne.[14][15]
She performed atLive Aid in 1985, reprising "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with John, and performing backing vocals on the other songs in his set. After signing toColumbia, Dee released the albumAngel Eyes in 1987. She contributed backing vocals to Elton John's 1992 albumThe One, and a year later recorded "True Love" with John for his 1993 albumDuets.
Dee released the live albumAlmost Naked, a joint effort with Carmelo Luggeri in 1995, followed by the studio albumsWhere Rivers Meet (1998) andThe Walk Of Faith (2005) with Luggeri. In September 2013, Dee and Luggeri released their third studio album,A Place Where I Can Go, on Spellbound Records. They have been touring together ever since[16][17] and have played alongsideRoger Taylor,Jack Bruce,Fish,Paul Young,Tom Robinson,Graham Gouldman andMadeline Bell.[18]
In October 2009 she performed, with Luggeri, at London'sRoyal Albert Hall, in aid of thePRS for Music (formerly the Performing Right Society) for Music Members' Benevolent Fund.
Dee's single "Sidesteppin' with a Soul Man", released in October 2013, was her 40th single release.[19]
Dee and Luggeri's albumLong Ride Home was released in April 2022.[20] In November that year Dee joined Elton John on stage to sing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" again for the final US show of hisFarewell Yellow Brick Road tour atDodger Stadium in Los Angeles.[21]
Dee has appeared inmusical theatre, including a leading role inWilly Russell'sWest End musicalBlood Brothers,[5] in which she took on the role originally played byBarbara Dickson for the 1988 production and recording. She received anOlivier Award nomination in 1989 in the Best Actress in a Musical category.[4] In 1990, she contributed to the last recording studio collaboration betweenAlan Parsons andEric Woolfson, on the albumFreudiana, performing "You're On Your Own" and part of "No One Can Love You Better Than Me".
In 2008, Dee's firstDVD was released.Under The Night Sky was a collaboration with guitarist Carmelo Luggeri, filmed live at theBray Studios in London; the music was produced by Ted Carfrae. That same year, several albums from her earlier 1970s–1980s Rocket catalogue were re-released byEMI Records, including an expanded edition ofAlmost Naked with extra tracks, such as a cover ofNeil Young's "Heart of Gold" and a new take on "Sugar on the Floor". The same year,Demon Records (UK) issued a remastered edition ofPerfect Timing, with several bonus tracks, including an alternate mix of "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever".
Dee had previously starred inPump Boys and Dinettes in London's West End, at thePiccadilly Theatre, from 20 September 1984 to 8 June 1985.[22]
In her forties, Dee was diagnosed withuterine cancer.[23]As of 2024 she has never married and has no children.[24]
Kiki Dee has released 40singles, threeEPs and 22 albums.
| Release date | Title | UK [25] | AUS [26] | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | I'm Kiki Dee | – | – | Fontana |
| 1969 | Patterns (US top-price release) | – | – | Liberty |
| 1970 | Great Expectations | – | – | Tamla Motown |
| 1973 | Loving & Free | – | 38 | Rocket |
| 1974 | I've Got the Music in Me | – | – | |
| Patterns (UK mid-price release) | – | – | Philips | |
| Kiki Dee | – | – | MFP/Sound Superb | |
| 1977 | Kiki Dee | 24 | – | Rocket |
| 1979 | Stay with Me | – | – | |
| 1980 | Greatest Hits | – | – | Warwick |
| 1981 | Perfect Timing | 47 | – | Ariola |
| 1987 | Angel Eyes | – | – | Columbia (UK) |
| 1991 | Spotlight On Kiki Dee – Greatest Hits | – | – | Rocket |
| 1994 | The Very Best of Kiki Dee | 62 | – | |
| 1995 | Almost Naked | – | – | Tickety-boo |
| 1998 | Where Rivers Meet | – | – | |
| 2005 | Love Makes the World Go Round – The Motown Years | – | – | Universal |
| The Walk of Faith | – | – | Spellbound | |
| 2008 | Cage the Songbird | – | – | EMI |
| 2009 | The Best of Kiki Dee | – | – | |
| 2013 | A Place Where I Can Go | – | – | Spellbound |
| 2019 | Gold | 44 | – | Crimson |
| 2022 | Long Ride Home | – | – | Spellbound Recordings |
| Release date | Single title | UK | AUS [26] | US | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | "Early Night" | – | – | – | Fontana |
| "I Was Only Kidding" | – | – | – | ||
| 1964 | "Miracles" | – | – | – | |
| "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" | – | – | – | ||
| 1965 | "Runnin' Out of Fools" | – | – | – | |
| 1966 | "Why Don't I Run Away from You" | – | – | – | |
| 1967 | "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)" | – | – | – | |
| "I" | – | – | – | ||
| "Excuse Me" | – | – | – | ||
| 1968 | "Can't Take My Eyes off You" | – | – | – | |
| "Now the Flowers Cry" | – | – | – | ||
| 1970 | "The Day Will Come Between Sunday and Monday" | – | – | – | Tamla Motown |
| 1971 | "Love Makes the World Go Round" | – | – | 87 | Rare Earth (Motown) |
| 1973 | "Lonnie and Josie" | – | – | – | Rocket |
| "Amoureuse" | 13 | 12 | – | ||
| 1974 | "Hard Luck Story" | – | – | – | |
| "I've Got the Music in Me" | 19 | 52 | 12 | ||
| 1975 | "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" | 33 | – | 74 | |
| "Once a Fool" | – | 82 | |||
| 1976 | "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (withElton John) | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| "Loving and Free" / "Amoureuse"(Kiki Dee EP) | 13 | – | – | ||
| 1977 | "First Thing in the Morning" | 32 | – | – | |
| "Night Hours" | – | – | – | ||
| "Chicago" | 28 | – | – | ||
| 1978 | "Stay With Me Baby" | – | – | – | |
| 1979 | "One Jump Ahead of the Storm" | – | – | – | |
| 1981 | "Star" | 13 | 64 | – | Ariola |
| "Perfect Timing" | 66 | – | – | ||
| "Midnight Flyer" | – | – | – | ||
| "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (with Elton John) | – | – | – | ||
| 1983 | "The Loser Gets to Win" | 105[28] | 99 | – | EMI |
| 1984 | "Amoureuse" | 77 | – | – | Rocket |
| 1986 | "Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)" | 117[29] | – | – | Columbia (US) |
| 1987 | "I Fall in Love Too Easily" | – | – | – | |
| "Stay Close to You" | – | – | – | ||
| "Angel Eyes" | – | – | – | ||
| 1993 | "True Love" (with Elton John) | 2 | – | 56 | Rocket |
Dee was portrayed by actress Rachel Muldoon in the 2019 Elton John biopicRocketman.[17]
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