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Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969
), known professionally as Mica Paris (), is an English singer, presenter and actress.
Paris was born in Islington in North London, but moved to Brockley, South London, when she was nine. She released her debut album, ''
So Good'', in 1988, which spawned singles including "
My One Temptation
"My One Temptation" is the debut single by British singer Mica Paris, from her debut album ''So Good (Mica Paris album), So Good''. "My One Temptation" is an r&b song which has been described as "haunting" by critics.
"My One Temptation" was rel ...
" and "
Where Is the Love
"Where Is the Love?" is a song by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on May 12, 2003, as the lead single from their third album, '' Elephunk''. The song was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Pr ...
". She has since gone on to release seven further albums; ''
Contribution'' (1990), ''
Whisper a Prayer
''Whisper a Prayer'' is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris. It was released on 8 June 1993 by 4th & B'way Records, her last for the label. Recording sessions for the album commenced in the spring of 1992 and concluded ...
'' (1993), ''
Black Angel'' (1998), ''If You Could Love Me'' (2005), ''Soul Classics'' (2005), ''
Born Again'' (2009) and ''
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
'' (2020). In 2020, Paris was cast in the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
soap opera ''
EastEnders'' as
Ellie Nixon.
Music
Paris grew up singing in her grandparents' church, and by her mid-teens was making regular appearances with the Spirit of Watts gospel choir (with whom she featured on the 1985
EP ''Gospel Joy'').
At the age of 17, she became a backing vocalist with the UK band
Hollywood Beyond.
Paris appeared on their album ''If'' (1985).
In 1988, she released her debut and platinum-selling album ''
So Good'' with
4th & Broadway when she was 19 years old.
"
My One Temptation
"My One Temptation" is the debut single by British singer Mica Paris, from her debut album ''So Good (Mica Paris album), So Good''. "My One Temptation" is an r&b song which has been described as "haunting" by critics.
"My One Temptation" was rel ...
" was the lead single.
This led to a collaboration with American soul singer
Will Downing
Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American singer and songwriter. He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch.
Biography
Downing enrolled in Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn ...
on a
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of a classic "
Where Is the Love
"Where Is the Love?" is a song by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on May 12, 2003, as the lead single from their third album, '' Elephunk''. The song was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Pr ...
", made famous by
Donny Hathaway and
Roberta Flack
Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a retired American singer. She topped the ''Billboard'' charts with the No. 1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", " Feel Like Makin' Love", "Wher ...
in the early 1970s.
The follow up album, ''
Contribution'', was released in 1990.
This extended Paris' soul and gospel influences to bring in hip-hop and house music and featured the track "
If I Love U 2 Nite
"If I Love U 2nite" is a 1991 single by British singer Mica Paris.
Track listing
CD single
7″ Vinyl
12″ Vinyl
Charts
Mayte version
"If I Love U 2nite" (also known as "If Eye Love U 2night") is Mayte's solo debut, and the first sin ...
", written by
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
and recorded at his Paisley Park studios.
With
Omar Lye-Fook, a classically trained musician, Paris recorded "I Should've Known Better" in 1990. It was issued on the
B-side to "South of the River". Paris also recorded with
Anita Baker
Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career ...
,
Bonnie Raitt and
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the h ...
on the album ''
Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa'' (1990), and provided the title track to
Isaac Julien
Sir Isaac Julien (born 21 February 1960Annette Kuhn"Julien, Isaac (1960–)" BFI Screen Online.) is a British installation artist, filmmaker, and distinguished professor of the arts at UC Santa Cruz.
Early life
Julien was born in the East End ...
's ''
Young Soul Rebels
''Young Soul Rebels'' is a 1991 British coming-of-age thriller written by Derek Saldaan McClintock, Isaac Julien and Paul Hallam, and directed by Julien as his second narrative feature film. The film examines the interaction between youth cultu ...
'' movie soundtrack the following year. She worked with the saxophonist
Courtney Pine
Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964), is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...
("Redemption Song" – 1992), the
Stereo MCs ("Don't Let Up" – 1992) and
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing gui ...
("I Wish I'd Never Met You" – 1991).
Her third album was ''
Whisper a Prayer
''Whisper a Prayer'' is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris. It was released on 8 June 1993 by 4th & B'way Records, her last for the label. Recording sessions for the album commenced in the spring of 1992 and concluded ...
'' (1993),
which included the singles "I Never Felt Like This Before" and "I Wanna Hold On To You", as well as "You Put a Move on My Heart" which was later recorded by
Tamia
Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill (born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development de ...
in 1995 on
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
's ''
Q's Jook Joint'' album. This followed by more collaboration work on album tracks with
Guru
Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...
on his ''Jazzmatazz II'' ("Looking Through Darkness" in 1995),
Mark Morrison
Mark Morrison (born 3 May 1972) is a British R&B singer. His single, " Return of the Mack", became a No. 1 or top 10 hit in several European countries in 1996. The song peaked at No. 2 in the United States the following year.
Career
Mark M ...
("Tears For You" – 1996) and
Maxwell ("Mantra" – 1996). Paris released the album ''
Black Angel'' on
Chrysalis in 1998. It contained a cover version of
U2's "
One", and a duet with
James Ingram
James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...
. ''Black Angel'' produced two more Top 20 singles in "Stay" and 'Carefree". More collaborations followed with
Omar
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb ( ar, عمر بن الخطاب, also spelled Omar, ) was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () as the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate o ...
("Confection" – 1994),
Max Beesley ("High Vibes" – 1994), Dubversive ("Police & Thieves" – 1998), the Mobo ''All Stars'' compilation album in 1998, Mister Exe ("One Million Smiles" – 1998), Prince ("Just My Imagination" – 2000) and
Boy George
George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singer ...
("I Could Be Someone" – 2000). A collaboration with
David Gilmour and
Jools Holland on
Screamin' Jay Hawkins' track "
I Put A Spell On You
"I Put a Spell on You" is a 1956 song written and composed by Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, whose own recording of it was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was also included in Robert ...
" followed in 2001. The trio had regrouped on occasions to perform the hit.
Two years later, Paris lent her voice to
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios unit ...
(
Touchstone Pictures) soundtrack for ''
High Heels and Low Lifes
''High Heels and Low Lifes'' is a 2001 action comedy-drama film starring Minnie Driver, Mary McCormack, Kevin McNally, Mark Williams, Danny Dyer and Michael Gambon. It was directed by Mel Smith and written by Kim Fuller and Georgia Pritchett.
...
'', which was later included in the Primal Screen soundtrack compilation album (2001). In 2003, Paris released the
Moby sampling "Heart" with Seraphim Suite. Paris also joined Omar onstage for his gig at The Shepherds Bush Empire. She also contributed to the track "I Don't Understand" on ''
Milk & Sugar'' album. 2004 saw Paris feature as a guest on The New Inspirational Choir's album ''Inspirations'' along with
Keisha White and
Jocelyn Brown. In 2005, Paris released the album ''If You Could Love Me'' (Wounded Bird Records), featuring backing from the
Brecker Brothers on the title track, with executive producer Andreas Neumann and producer Bernard Grobman. Also in 2005, she released the album ''Soul Classics'', with executive producers Rick Blaskey and Andreas Neumann.
Paris collaborated with
Lemar
Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978), known as Lemar, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. Initially rising to fame after finishing third on the first series of British talent show ''Fame Academy'', he was later signed to Sony BMG ...
on the track "Can't You See" on his album ''The Truth About Love'' in 2006, and in February 2008, she released the duet "Secret Lovers" with
Alexander O'Neal
Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger from Natchez, Mississippi.
O'Neal came to prominence in the mid-1980s as a solo artist, with eleven Top 40 singles on the US R&B chart, three of whic ...
. This was followed by a residency at the Indigo 02.
In June 2009, she released her sixth studio album, ''
Born Again''. She embarked on a nationwide tour, which included dates at the Jazz Cafe in February 2009 to showcase the material. The album was produced by Brian Rawling.
James Morrison wrote Paris' first single, "Baby Come Back Now".
Paris released the second single from ''Born Again'' on 17 August 2009. The track, "The Hardest Thing", was remixed by Stonebridge, Almighty and 2Darc. Paris performed at various venues prior to the release from the album in March 2010 of the title track "Born Again".
On 4 June 2022, Paris performed "
Climb Ev'ry Mountain" with
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts (born 5 October 1985) is a British pop singer. She rose to prominence in late 2002 upon winning a place in Girls Aloud, a girl group created through ITV's '' Popstars: The Rivals''. The group's success helped them win the ...
and
Ruby Turner
Francella Ruby Turner MBE (born 22 June 1958) is a British Jamaican R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and actress.
In a music career spanning more than 30 years, Turner is best known for her album and single releases in Europe and North Ame ...
at the
Platinum Party at the Palace
The Platinum Party at the Palace was a British music concert, held outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall in London on 4 June 2022, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The concert began at 20:00 ( BST). Comedian Lee ...
concert to celebrate the
Platinum Jubilee
A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary.
The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other C ...
of
Queen Elizabeth II.
Other ventures
Television and radio
In 2002, Paris hosted a programme on
BBC Radio 2, titled ''Soul Solutions'' and narrated several music documentaries for the station. She also presented the 2002
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
television documentary ''
The Gospel of Gospel The Gospel Of Gospel is a 2001 TV documentary made by independent production company Lion Television for Channel 4 in the UK. It was presented by the singer Mica Paris. It was produced and directed by David Upshal.
The documentary traces the story ...
'' which revealed the influence of the black American church tradition on pop music. Produced and directed by
David Upshal, it featured contributions from
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
,
Isaac Hayes,
B. B. King,
Al Green,
Chaka Khan,
Alexander O'Neal
Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger from Natchez, Mississippi.
O'Neal came to prominence in the mid-1980s as a solo artist, with eleven Top 40 singles on the US R&B chart, three of whic ...
,
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Reuben Hawkins (August 19, 1943 – January 15, 2018) was an American gospel musician, pianist, choir master, composer, and arranger. He was one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He (as leader of the Edwin Hawkins ...
,
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, is an American Gospel music, gospel group. The group was founded in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama, and has featured a ch ...
and
Mary Mary. Furthermore, she broadcast a two-part show, ''Purple Reign: The Prince Story'', on
BBC Radio 2 which covered the entirety of the American artist's controversial career and featured interviews with George Clinton, Chaka Khan and Jimmy Jam.
She was also a narrator on an award-winning documentary featuring
Diana Ross focusing on her European and international success rather than her megastar status in the states.
In 2005, she appeared on week three of the ITV reality series ''
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time'', which was won by
Carol Decker. The same year she made an appearance in, and was the winner of, week one in the second series of ''
Come Dine with Me''. From 2007, she was a co-host for two seasons of the popular consumer style programme ''
What Not to Wear'' for
BBC Television. Other television presenting has followed with Paris being an expert judge on
Gok Wan's ''
Miss Naked Beauty
''Miss Naked Beauty'' is a short-lived, six-episode 2008 reality television show produced by Maverick Television that aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.
The show, presented by Gok Wan and Myleene Klass, was conceived as a radical "realit ...
'' for Channel 4 and ITV's ''
CelebAir''.
In 2007, she played the part of Amelia Walker, a fictitious American jazz singer, in ''
At Bertram's Hotel
''At Bertram's Hotel'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 15 November 1965Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. ''Collins Crime Club – A checklist of First Ed ...
'', an episode of the
ITV series ''
Marple Marple may refer to:
Places
* Marple, Greater Manchester, a town close to Stockport, in England
** Marple Bridge, a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester
** Marple railway station in Marple, Greater Manches ...
''. During the drama the character gives a concert at the
Royal Albert Hall, and also sings with
Louis Armstrong's band rehearsing in the hotel dining room whilst both were guests at the hotel. On 8 July 2008, Paris, her mother, father and sister appeared as The Paris Brigade on series 4 episode 9 of
Gordon Ramsay's ''
The F Word'', as part of the celebrity brigades series. Paris has continued to appear on a variety of television programmes—from
Channel 5's news talk show ''
The Wright Stuff
''The Wright Stuff'' is a British television chat show which was hosted by former tabloid journalist Matthew Wright from 2000 until 2018. It aired on Channel 5 on weekday mornings from 9:15 to 11:15am. The series characterised itself as "Br ...
'',
ITV1
ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...
's all-female panel talk show ''
Loose Women'', ''
The Michael Ball Show'' and
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
's ''
Strictly Come Dancing''.
During 2013, Paris became a regular guest on the ITV show ''This Morning''. In February 2017, she stood in for
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles (born 11 July 1964) is an English actor, comedian, television and radio presenter. He is best known for his roles as Dave Lister in the science fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' and Lloyd Mullaney in the soap opera ''Coronation ...
on his Saturday night ''House Party'', 10 pm to midnight, on
BBC Radio 2 for two weeks. She later stood in for
Trevor Nelson
Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter.
Early life
Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Centr ...
on his Saturday night ''Rhythm Nation'', 8 pm to 10 pm, at the same station, in April 2017. In October 2017, she performed a medley of 1980s classics on BBC1's ''Children in Need Rocks the 80s''. In 2020, Paris was cast in the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
soap opera ''