- Claudja Barry
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Claudja Barry Birth name Claudja Barry Born 1952 Origin Jamaica Genres Pop, Disco, Hi-NRG, House Occupations Actress, singer-songwriter Years active 1975–present Labels Donna Jean (2006 - present) Associated acts Boney M Website Official Site Claudja Barry, (born 1952, Jamaica) is a singer and actress who has performed in the European versions of the stage musicals Hair and Catch My Soul.
Contents
Early music career
Claudja Barry was aged six when her family emigrated to Canada where Barry grew up in Scarborough, Ontario. After graduation from high school, Barry left for New York City, where she eventually landed a role in the hit musical Hair, then Catch My Soul. The play toured Europe, where she eventually wound up in West Germany in the spring of 1975. In Germany, she met producer Frank Farian and became part of the studio group Boney M from 1975 to 1976, but left after tiring of simply lip-syncing to pre-recorded music.
After leaving Boney M, Barry had some success as a solo artist. She had two Billboard Hot 100 entries, the first being "Dancin' Fever" which peaked at #72, off The Girl Most Likely album, the other song being "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes"[1] (R&B #37, Pop #56 in 1979) from the album I Wanna Be Loved By You, released in 1978. Both became major mainstream pop hits in Canada (where "Dancin' Shoes" peaked at #7 on the RPM 100 national chart on April 7, 1979 and remained on the chart for 23 weeks)[2] as well as in Europe. In 1976 the soulful ballad "Love for the Sake of Love" got airplay, and in 1979, another single, "Boogie Tonight" released off the I Wanna... album received Canadian airplay (sharing the charts with "Dancin' Shoes" and reaching #42 on June 23 of that year)[3] and was also remixed into a 12" Disco Single.
The 1980s
With the release of her Feel The Fire album in 1980, Claudja's songs were becoming highly synthesized - this was her final album to feature an earthier, more horn & string approach to the production of her music. In 1981, she made a successful foray into New Wave/Hi-NRG music with the album Made In Hong Kong. It featured the lead single "Radio Action", which became a moderate club hit peaking at #57.
In 1985, she appeared in the movie Rappin', starring Mario Van Peebles. The year 1985 also saw the release of the single, "Born To Love" which sounds similar to a Pet Shop Boys or Erasure song. This single was produced by New York City based Hi-NRG producer, singer and songwriter, Bobby Orlando. "Born To Love" features airy, ethereal synths and aggressive, syncopated synthesizers and a fierce lead guitar which made it a Top 20 smash, peaking at #14 on Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Dance format radio stations in the United States did not give it major exposure since the album it was lifted from was a UK-only release.
On the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, she has had much more success: six Top 10 hits, including "Down and Counting," which spent a week at #1 in 1986.[4] At the time, the song also became only her third single to chart outside of the Dance charts in the U.S., peaking at a #98 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Barry had further successes on that chart with the singles "Can't You Feel My Heartbeat" (#33 R&B) and "Secret Affair" (#60 R&B). "Down and Counting" was the lead single from her album, I, Claudja, her only full length record for Epic Records.
The 1990s
After her run at Epic did not result in another album, she went more quiet, focusing her music career to her fans in Canada and abroad. She still remained active recording a pair of underground club classics during the early 1990s. The singles "Love Is An Island" (1991) and "Summer of Love" (1992) are highly regarded club hits to those who know them. In 1993, the German euro-dance project General Base featured Barry as lead singer for their single "Poison", which got a greater success. "Summer of Love" was successful enough that it maintains radio airplay on some radio stations such as WMPH. Both single became major hits outside of the U.S. In Brazil, in 1996, her song "Brand New Day" was a great success. After a Christmas/Holiday Dance album titled, Disco'round The Christmas Tree was released on Radikal Records in 1995, then an extended mix compilation titled, Disco Mixes, she went quiet for the remainder of the decade because she wanted to focus on raising a family.
1999 to present
In 1999, R&B artist Montell Jordan sampled the rhythm track from Barry's single "Love For the Sake of Love," for the hit titled, "Get It On Tonite" (#4 on the Hot 100). In May 2006, Barry returned to the Billboard charts with "I Will Stand" released on Donna Jean Records. By July the song had reached the Top 10 of the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, peaking at #4 before the end of the summer. It received moderate dance radio format airplay. Barry is working on her long awaited album.
Discography
Albums
- Sweet Dynamite Lollipop 1976
- The Girl Most Likely Lollipop 1977
- Claudja Salsoul 1978
- I Wanna Be Loved By You Lollipop 1978
- Feel The Fire Hot Productions 1980
- Made In Hong Kong Hot Productions 1981
- If I Do It To You Ensign (UK)1985
- I, Claudja Epic Records 1987
- The Best of Claudja Barry Hot Productions 1991
See also
- List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- Bobby Orlando
References
- ^ Barnes, Ken (1979-06-17). "POP MUSIC - Los Angeles Times - ProQuest Archiver - Jun 17, 1979". http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/653232612.html?dids=653232612:653232612&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+17%2C+1979&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=POP+MUSIC&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- ^ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4520a&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=s607l5eet9b235712b5nmn4im6
- ^ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4553a&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=s607l5eet9b235712b5nmn4im6
- ^ Hunt, Dennis (1986-09-28). "TOPS IN POPS - Los Angeles Times - ProQuest Archiver - Sep 28, 1986". http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1085731182.html?dids=1085731182:1085731182&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+28%2C+1986&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=TOPS+IN+POPS&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
External links
Categories:- 1952 births
- Living people
- Black Canadian actors
- Black Canadian musicians
- Canadian disco musicians
- Canadian house musicians
- Canadian pop singers
- Hi-NRG musicians
- Salsoul Records artists
- Jamaican emigrants to Canada
- Musicians from Toronto
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