Corona (group)

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Corona


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Origin = Italy
Genre = Eurodance
Years_active = 1993-date
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Corona is an Italian musical project who found success in 1994 with the worldwide hit "The Rhythm of the Night". Although she did not sing on most of the act's hits, Corona is fronted by Brazilian performer Olga Souza.

The Rhythm of The Night

The project's debut single was "The Rhythm Of The Night". It was released in Italy in December 1993 on the DWA record label, and became an instant hit. It stayed at number 1 on the Italian music chart for thirteen consecutive weeks. However, the song was not released elsewhere until the following year. A remixed version of the song became a number 2 hit in the United Kingdom in September 1994.

Like other 1990s Eurodance/Hi-NRG songs that eventually became American hits as well, such as "Get Ready For This", "Twilight Zone" and "Tribal Dance" by 2 Unlimited and "Strike It Up", "I Don't Know Anybody Else" and "Everybody Everybody" by Black Box, "The Rhythm of The Night" did not catch on in the United States until well after its success had peaked in Europe. By spring 1995, however, the song was all over American radio and clubs, eventually reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Corona followed up its hit with the 1995 singles "Baby Baby" and "Try Me Out", which saw similar success. The single "I Don't Wanna Be A Star" was a moderate hit. A fifth single, "Do You Want Me", became a regional hit in discotheques in the Eastern U.S. The album, "The Rhythm Of The Night" sold modestly peaking at #2 on the Top Heatseekers chart and #154 on the Billboard 200.

Although the public was led to believe that front-woman Olga Souza was the act's singer, the vocals in "The Rhythm Of The Night" track was actually performed by Giovanna Bersola. The rest of the album is performed by Sandra Chambers.

1998 to 2004

Corona's second album, "Walking On Music" was released in 1998 on independent label of Francesco Bontempi. The album did not produce any major hits in Europe or North America. However, the album did yield two minor Stateside dancehall hits with "Walking On Music" and "The Power Of Love". In 2000, Olga Souza released the third Corona album, this time on the Abril Music label in Brazil. Francesco Bontempi co-wrote some of the songs on the album, but he did not participate in the album's production. The album was called "And Me U" and Corona's name was changed to Corona X.

2005 to present

Towards the end of 2005, Corona re-emerged onto the European music scene with "Back In Time", peaking at #36 in the Italian sales chart.

In late 2006, Olga De Souza returned with a new single under the Corona moniker entitled "I'll Be Your Lady", which she sang and had co-written herself.

In 2007, Swedish dance group Sunblock did a cover version of "Baby Baby" featuring the original singer, Sandy. Recognition came late for Sandy Chambers whose name is credited on the 2007 Sunblock version of "Baby Baby" whereas she goes completely unmentioned on Corona's album "Rhythm of the Night" which includes the same song.

Participants

Many people participated in Corona project, including: Francesco Bontempi (songwriting, arrangement, producing, mixing), Francesco Alberti (engineering), Graziano Fanelli (engineering), Giovanna Bersola(Jenny B), (vocals) Olga Souza (lipsyncher; later singer), Sandra Chambers (songwriting/vocals); songwriters - Antonia Bottari, Ivana Spagna, G. Spagna, Annerley Gordon, Fred Di Bonaventura, Gaffurini, V. Marcolin, M. Marcolin, M. Anthony, Michael Gaffey, Pete Glenister, F. Martinelli, A. Puntillo, Marco Baroni, A. Bellucci, L. Ratti, S. Tonelli, N. Heathen, I.G. Off, A. Martin, E. Bertolini, Claudio Silvestri, M. Cimoli, A. Puthli, D. Zimmermann.

Discography

Albums

ingles

External links

* [http://www.womrecords.it/ Francesco Bontempi's site]
* http://www.webdjs.ch/corona.htm
* http://www.dwarecords.it/dwa-artist-corona-bio.asp
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* [http://www.coronadance.com/ Corona official web site]
* [http://it.geocities.com/stopandgo3000/tour/tour.htm Corona TOUR 2007]