Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "

If You Could Read My Mind "If You Could Read My Mind" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot wrote the lyrics while he was reflecting on his own divorce. It reached 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart on commercial release in 1970 and charted in ...

" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Automatic". Virtually all of her singles have reached the Top 10 of the US

Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...

chart. Such singles include "Show Me", "Free", "Desire", "Get It Up (the Feeling)", " Love's the Only Drug", and her number-one hits " Automatic", "

Give it All You Got "Give It All You Got" is an instrumental song from 1980 by the American flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione. It was composed and produced by Mangione, and can be found on his 1980 album '' Fun and Games,'' which also includes a slower-paced version ...

" featuring Chris Willis, "Waiting On You" and "Everybody Loves the Night". In December 2016, ''

Billboard magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the musi ...

'' ranked her as the 12th most successful dance artist of all-time.

Biography

Early life

Born Ultra Naté in Havre de Grace, Maryland, United States, she displayed her singing talent at an early age. Growing up, Naté enjoyed a wide variety of music; she enjoyed listening to artists such as Marvin Gaye 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 ...

, who Naté later said helped her become more open to being more experimental with her style and production of music. She is best known in her home country for her 1990s dance crossover track, "Free". She is also remembered in America for her team-up with

Amber Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In ...

and

Jocelyn Enriquez Jocelyn Enriquez (born December 28, 1974) is a Filipino American dance-pop singer born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her most popular songs are "Do You Miss Me", "A Little Bit of Ecstasy", and the Stars on 54 (Enriquez alongside Ultra ...

as Stars on 54 on a 1998 cover of

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...

's "If You Could Read My Mind", which was a minor mainstream American hit. It reached #52 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Though she has had club success in America, she has found the majority of her singles and, especially, album sales success in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

Career

Ultra Naté began her recording career on a major label,

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

, signed through its British offices. Through it, she released her first two albums. Her debut album, ''

Blue Notes in the Basement ''Blue Notes in the Basement'' is the debut album of American singer-songwriter Ultra Naté. It was released in 1991 on Warner Bros. Records. It includes the singles "It's Over Now," "Scandal," "Deeper Love (Missing You)," "Rejoicing (I'll Never ...

'' (1991) was created along with the

Basement Boys The Basement Boys is an American house music production team that was formed in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The founding members are Jay Steinhour, Teddy Douglas and Thommy Davis. Biography The Basement Boys had all previous experience as ...

and it featured the singles "It's Over Now", "Deeper Love (Missing You)", "Is It Love", and the gospel-tinged "Rejoicing". In 1993, the alternative dance/ house ''

One Woman's Insanity ''One Woman's Insanity'' is the second album by dance singer-songwriter Ultra Naté. The record, which incorporated R&B influences as well as Naté's signature House music, was released on October 5, 1993, by Warner Bros. Records. The lead singl ...

'' was released. Although it still featured the Basement Boys' production on several tracks, this time Ultra found herself working with

Nellee Hooper Nellee Hooper (born Paul Andrew Hooper on 15 March 1963) is a British record producer, remixer and songwriter known for his work with many major recording artists beginning in the late 1980s. He also debuted as a motion picture music composer w ...

, and

D-Influence D'Influence (also D-Influence and D*Influence) is a British production team and acid jazz band. Formerly of The Echo Label, they founded their own label, Freakstreet Records. Original members include Kwame Kwaten, Sarah-Ann Webb, Ed Baden-Powell, ...

. At a time when soulful house music performers such as Robin S and Crystal Waters were scoring cross-over Top Ten Pop singles, it was believed that Ultra Naté would score a similar level of commercial success. Mainstream sales however were not achieved even though "Show Me" received moderate mainstream pop radio airplay. Singles included "How Long", "Show Me" (her first song to reach the top position on the US Dance charts) and "Joy". However, neither release sold very well, and she was dropped from the label. In 1995, Ultra Naté contributed the song "Party Girl (Turn Me Loose)" to the soundtrack to the independent film starring

Parker Posey Parker Christian Posey (born November 8, 1968) is an American actress and musician. Posey is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Satellite Award nomination and two Independent Spirit Award nominations. Posey made her film debu ...

. The single was commercially released by the King Street Sounds label. When Warner Bros. tried to push her in another direction, Ultra Naté left the major label and moved to the independent dance label, Strictly Rhythm. It was here that "Free", her biggest mainstream hit, was released in 1997. The song, co-written by Naté, Lem Springsteen and John Ciafone while production was held by both Springsteen and Ciafone, enjoyed heavy airplay throughout the summer, not only in clubs, but on rhythmic and mainstream radio stations in America and Europe. "Free" peaked at number 75 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It became a substantial hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number four on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, helping its parent album 'Situation: Critical' reach number seventeen on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

. It was also successful in Canada, where it peaked at number ten on the Canadian Singles Chart. It was with this album that Ultra Naté's greatest commercial success was achieved, particularly in Europe, where singles such as "Found a Cure" (No. 6 in the UK), and "New Kind of Medicine" (No 14 UK) also charted. In 1998, a new single "Pressure" was released internationally. Taken from the soundtrack to the film ''The 24 Hour Woman'', it contained three club mixes. The original version of the track was found on 'Situation: Critical" but listed as "Release the Pressure". Her follow-up album '' Stranger Than Fiction'', which was released in 2001, featured the production work of artists such as Attica Blues,

4 Hero 4hero are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as ''4 Hero'' or ''4-Hero'', the name is stylised as ''4hero'' on their albums and ...

, and Mood II Swing. Four singles were released: "Desire", "Get It Up (The Feeling)", "Twisted", and "I Don't Understand It". Naté contributed the song "Wonderful Place" to the AIDS benefit compilation ''Keep Hope Alive: A Lifebeat Benefit Compilation''. Additionally, in 2004, she released the singles "Feel Love", "Brass in Pocket", "Time of Our Lives" (released as "Ultra Devoted featuring Ultra Naté and Gerry DeVeaux"), and a new version of "Free" that features twelve new mixes. In 2005, she collaborated with Gaudino and released the single "Bitter Sweet Melody". Later in the same year she found herself again on the charts, when her featured vocals on the Stonebridge single " Freak On" became a successful dance hit. She also performed on the British show '' Hit Me Baby One More Time''. Having become a mother for the first time in the fall of 2005, Naté released her fifth album '' Grime, Silk, & Thunder'' on her newly created imprint Blufire in partnership with Tommy Boy Records. The first single released was " Love's the Only Drug", which became available through the US

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

August 8, 2006 and reached number two on the American

and made the Top 30 on the

Hot Dance Airplay Dance/Mix Show Airplay (formerly Hot Dance Airplay) is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. History The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic d ...

chart. The second single " Automatic" (a cover version of the Pointer Sisters hit) reached number one on the US

chart (the week ending April 28, 2007). It also received airplay in the Rhythmic/Dance format radio where it reached the Top 30 of most playlists in this radio format. Following Automatic, Ultra released "

Give It All You Got "Give It All You Got" is an instrumental song from 1980 by the American flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione. It was composed and produced by Mangione, and can be found on his 1980 album '' Fun and Games,'' which also includes a slower-paced version ...

" which features Chris Willis in Dec 2007. The song hit No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Dance Music/Club Play charts the week ending February 23, 2008. In mid-2009 it was announced that US singer Michelle Williams, previously of Destiny's Child has collaborated on a song with Ultra called "I'm Waiting On You", for use on both of their next studio albums. In 2010 Ultra has released a Bob Sinclar remix of her hit "Free" on Strictly Rhythm. "Give It 2 U" in collaboration with Quentin Harris for his album "Sacrifice". She also released "Destination" in collaboration with Tony Moran which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Dance Play chart. "Destination" was the second single off Tony's album, Mix Magic Music. In 2010 she released an EP titled "Things Happen At Night" featuring Ultra's pop and soul melodies and vocals over percussive club beats done by Unruly productions. January 2011 is saw the release of Ultra's next single with Strictly Rhythm on her Deep Sugar label imprint called " Turn It Up" with a music video directed by Leo Herrera. "Turn It Up" was the first single to be released from her sixth studio album titled ''Hero Worship''. In September 2011, she submitted the song, "My Love" to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, to be held in Baku,

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

. However, though close, the song failed to reach the final. In 2013, she held a residency spot at Cafe Ole at Space, Ibiza. Her spirited presence has graced the stages of New York's massive Summer Stage in Central Park, Nile Rodgers acclaimed FOLD Festival sharing the stage with the likes of CHIC, Duran Duran, Pharrell and Beck to Lincoln Center's annual Midnight Summer Swing and numerous Pride events around the world. Ultra's 2017 album collaboration, ''Ultra Naté & Quentin Harris as Black Stereo Faith,'' reached the iTunes Top 10 upon release.

Awards and nominations

{, class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" , - ! scope="col" , Award ! scope="col" , Year ! scope="col" , Category ! scope="col" , Nominee(s) ! scope="col" , Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable", , - ! scope="row" rowspan=3, Billboard Music Awards , 1997 , rowspan=2, Top Hot Dance Club Play Single , " Free" , , , - , rowspan=2, 1998 , " Found a Cure" , , rowspan=2, , - , Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist , Herself , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=5,

International Dance Music Awards The International Dance Music Awards or IDMAs is an annual awards ceremony held in Miami Beach, Florida, United States as a major part of the Winter Music Conference. The awards have been held every year since the conference's creation in 1985 e ...

, rowspan=3, 1998 , Best Dance Solo Artist , Herself , , rowspan=3, , - , Best House/Garage 12" , rowspan=2, " Free" , , - , Best Pop 12" Dance Record , , - , 2008 , Best Dance Solo Artist , Herself , , , - , 2011 , Best House/Garage Dance Track , "Give It 2 U" , ,

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" , + ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;" , Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" , Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2" , Peak chart positions , - !style="width:2em;font-size:90%;", SCO
!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" , UK
, - ! scope="row" , ''

'' , * Released: June 1991 * Label:

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

* Formats: CD,

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in th ...

, LP , — , — , - ! scope="row" , ''

'' , *Released: October 1993 *Label: Warner Bros. *Formats: CD, cassette, LP , — , — , - ! scope="row" , '' Situation: Critical'' , *Released: 3 May 1998 *Label: Strictly Rhythm *Formats: CD, cassette, LP , 33 , 17 , - ! scope="row" , '' Stranger than Fiction'' , *Released: 2000 (Europe and Japan), 24 April 2001 (US) *Label: Strictly Rhythm *Formats: CD, LP , — , — , - ! scope="row" , '' Grime, Silk, & Thunder'' , *Released: 5 June 2007 *Label: Silver Label/Tommy Boy Entertainment *Formats: CD , — , — , - ! scope="row" , ''Hero Worship'' , *Released: 23 July 2013 *Label: BluFire/Peace Bisquit *Formats: Digital , — , — , - ! scope="row" , ''Ultra Naté & Quentin Harris as Black Stereo Faith'' , *Released: 7 July 2017 *Label: BluFire/Epod Music/Peace Bisquit *Formats: CD, Digital , — , — , - ! scope="row" , ''Ultra'' , *Released: 12 August 2022 *Label: BluFire/Peace Bisquit *Formats: Digital , — , — , - , align="center" colspan="15" style="font-size:90%", "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

*'' The Best Remixes, Vol. 1'' (1997) *'' Best Remixes, Vol. 2'' (1999) *''Alchemy - G.S.T. Reloaded'' (2008)

Extended plays

*''Things Happen at Night'' (2010)

Singles

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" , - ! rowspan="2", Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;", Title ! colspan="5", Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2", Certifications
( sales thresholds) ! rowspan="2", Album , - style="width:4em;font-size:85%;" ! style="width:30px;", US ! style="width:30px;",

US Dance Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

! style="width:30px;", AUS
Peaks in Australia: * "Free" and "If You Could Read My Mind": * "Freak On" and "Time of Our Lives": ! style="width:30px;", CAN ! style="width:30px;", UK
, - , 1989 , align="left", "It's Over Now" , — , — , — , — , 62 , , rowspan="3", ''

'' , - , 1991 , align="left", "Is It Love?" , — , 45 , — , — , 71 , , - , 1992 , align="left", "Rejoicing (I'll Never Forget)" , — , 7 , — , — , — , , - , 1993 , align="left", "Joy" , — , 2 , — , — , — , , rowspan="3", ''

'' , - , rowspan="2", 1994 , align="left", "Show Me" , — , 1 , — , — , 62 , , - , align="left", "How Long" , — , 2 , — , — , — , , - , 1997 , align="left", " Free" , 75 , 1 , 31 , 10 , 4 , * BPI: Platinum , rowspan="5", '' Situation: Critical'' , - , rowspan="5", 1998 , align="left", "Free (Remix)" , — , — , — , — , 33 , , - , align="left", " Found a Cure" , — , 1 , — , — , 6 , , - , align="left", "

New Kind of Medicine "New Kind of Medicine" is a 1998 song by American recording artist Ultra Naté, released as the third single from her third album, '' Situation: Critical'' (1998). The radio version was remixed by British production team D'Influence. It was a top ...

" , — , 28 , — , — , 14 , , - , align="left", "Release the Pressure" , — , 3 , — , — , — , , - , align="left", "

"
(Stars on 54: Ultra Naté,

) , 52 , 3 , 3 , 7 , 23 , *

ARIA In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

: Gold , '' 54 soundtrack'' , - , 2000 , align="left", "Desire" , — , 1 , — , — , 40 , , rowspan="4", '' Stranger Than Fiction'' , - , 2001 , align="left", "Get It Up (The Feeling)" , — , 1 , — , — , 51 , , - , rowspan="2", 2002 , align="left", "I Don't Understand It" , — , 25 , — , — , — , , - , align="left", "Twisted" , — , — , — , — , — , , - , 2003 , align="left", "

Brass in Pocket "Brass In Pocket (I'm Special)" is a song by English–American rock band the Pretenders, released in 1979 as the third single from their self-titled debut album. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris ...

" , — , 8 , — , — , — , , Non-album single , - , 2004 , align="left", "Free" (Remixes)
(Oscar G, Brick City, Corbett & Troia remix) , — , 23 , — , — , — , , ''Free (Remixes)'' , - , style="text-align:center;", 2005 , align="left", " Freak On"
(Ultra Naté vs Stonebridge) , — , — , — , — , 37 , , rowspan="4", '' Grime, Silk, & Thunder'' , - , 2006 , align="left", " Love's the Only Drug" , — , 2 , — , — , — , , - , rowspan="2", 2007 , align="left", " Automatic" , — , 1 , — , — , — , , - , align="left", "

"
(with

Chris Willis Christopher Kevin Willis (born February 26, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Although initially a gospel singer, he later received international attention for his collaborations with house music artist David Guetta, ...

) , — , 1 , — , — , — , , - , 2008 , align="left", "Twisted (Got Me Goin' Round)" , — , 3 , — , — , — , , ''GST: Grime Silk & Thunder Reloaded'' , - , rowspan="2", 2009 , align="left", "Faster Faster Pussycat (Let’s Go!)" , — , — , — , — , — , , rowspan="2", ''Things Happen at Night'' , - , align="left", "Hey DJ" , — , — , — , — , — , , - , rowspan="3", 2011 , align="left", " Turn It Up" , — , 4 , — , — , — , , rowspan="5", ''Hero Worship'' , - , align="left", "My Love" , — , — , — , — , — , , - , align="left", "

Waiting on You Waiting on You may refer to: * "Waiting on You" (Ultra Naté and Michelle Williams song), 2012 * "Waiting on You" (Charlie Major song), 1996 * "Waiting on You" (Lindsay Ell song), 2017 * '' ...Waiting on You'', a 1974 album by Jonathan Kelly ...

"
(with Michelle Williams) , — , 11 , — , — , — , , - , 2013 , align="left", "Everybody Loves the Night" , — , 29 , — , — , — , , - , rowspan="2", 2014 , align="left", "Unconditional" , — , 2 , — , — , — , , - , align="left", "So Glamorous"
(with Samuele Sartini) , — , — , — , — , — , , rowspan="3", Non-album singles , - , 2015 , align="left", "Take Care of My Heart"
(with Eddie Amador) , — , 21 , — , — , — , , - , 2016 , align="left", "Alive" , — , — , — , — , — , , - , 2017 , align="left", "I'm Too Sexy (Touch This Skin)" , — , 7 , — , — , — , , ''Black Stereo Faith'' , - , 2017 , align="left", "Fake"
(S-Man & Ultra Naté) , — , — , — , — , — , , Non-album single

As featured artist

{, class="wikitable" , - ! rowspan="2", Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;", Single ! colspan="3", Peak chart positions , - style="width:4em;font-size:85%;" ! style="text-align:center; width:30px;",

! style="text-align:center; width:30px;", AUS
! style="text-align:center; width:30px;", UK
, - , style="text-align:center;", 1992 , align="left", "Altitude"
(777 featuring Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", 44 , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2", 1995 , align="left", "Party Girl (Turn Me Loose)" , style="text-align:center;", 6 , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , align="left", "10,000 Screaming Faggots"
(The Moonwalkers feat. Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , style="text-align:center;", 1997 , align="left", "Partay Feeling"
( B-Crew featuring Barbara Tucker,

Dajae Karen Gordon, better known by her stage name Dajae (), is a female R&B and dance music singer born in Chicago, Illinois. Biography Dajae sang in various soul bands for over a decade prior to working with house music producer Cajmere, who feature ...

, Ultra Naté and

Moné Ramona DeSouza, more popularly known as Moné, is an American music recording artist and songwriter. She scored three hits on the US '' Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart: "We Can Make It" (No. 1, 1995), "Movin'" (No. 2, 1996) and "Pa ...

) , style="text-align:center;", 22 , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", 45 , - , style="text-align:center;", 2004 , align="left", "Time of Our Lives"
(Ultra Devoted) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", 59 , style="text-align:center;", — , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2", 2005 , align="left", "Bittersweet Melody"
( Gaudino feat. Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , align="left", "Wonderful Place"
( U.D.A.U.F.L.) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2", 2010 , align="left", "No Wasted Hearts"
(Nicola Fasano feat. Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , align="left", "Destination"
(

Tony Moran Anthony "Tony" Moran is a DJ, record producer, remixer, singer and songwriter known for remixing popular songs. In 2007, he hit number one on the U.S. '' Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play chart twice with " Walk Away" featuring Kristine W and " K ...

feat. Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", 10 , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , - , 2018 , "Feeling Mighty"
(David Harness, Ultra Naté) , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", — , style="text-align:center;", —

References

External links

Ultra Naté
— official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Nate, Ultra 1968 births Living people People from Havre de Grace, Maryland African-American women singer-songwriters American garage house musicians American house musicians American contemporary R&B singers Warner Records artists Tommy Boy Records artists AM PM Records artists American dance musicians Singer-songwriters from Maryland Deep house musicians American women in electronic music 20th-century African-American women singers 21st-century African-American women singers