Billie Ray Martin
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| Billie Ray Martin | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Billie Ray Martin |
| Born | September 14, 1970 |
| Origin | Hamburg, Germany |
| Genre(s) | Soul music, Ambient, Electro, House, Vocal Trance |
| Instrument(s) | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1990-present |
| Associated acts | Electribe 101 |
| Website | http://www.billieraymartin.com/ |
Billie Ray Martin is a female singer born in Hamburg, Germany noted for her elegant, soulful voice as much as her avant-garde persona.
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[edit] Career
She has had numerous worldwide dance music hits in various collaborations and as a solo artist. Initially a guest singer for S'Express (she appears in the video for the song Hey Music Lover), she went on to much greater success and prominence with the electronic/pop group Electribe 101. Although their debut album “Electribal Memories” was critically acclaimed, Electribe 101 disbanded before they could complete their second album. Their enigmatic reputation rests mostly on their signature tune, and acclaimed hit, “Talking With Myself” with its Kraftwerk as well as Chicago house influenced production. Other hits from the album included 'tell me when the fever ended', 'you're walking' and 'inside out'. Many songs recorded for a planned second set made it onto Martin's very own solo set - these include “Hands Up & Amen” & “Running Around Town”amongst others.
The singer indeed went on to forge her own solo career.Her very first single for WEA was the worldwide hit Your Loving Arms today considered a house music classic. Although the song is more of a smooth Trance song than House, its particular style lay between the two. Originally the song could only manage to peak at #38 in November 1994, however on re-release the song peaked at #6 in the UK in May 1995, the song struck the Billboard Hot 100 twice, peaking at #87 in 1995 and at #46 a year later. The song was also a success across Europe, peaking at #1, and remained on European charts for many weeks. It also topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Follow-up singles included “Running Around Town,” “Deadline for My Memories,” “Imitation of Life,” also a classic, notably for its intense emotional "downdraft" married seamlessly to a slick groove, “Space Oasis” and “You & I (Keep Holding on).” All six hits are featured on her solo debut “Deadline for My Memories.” She later followed those hits up with her single, Honey. Originally released in the UK in 1999, it debuted stateside courtesy Nervous Records four years later. Honey peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play despite sporatic radio airplay Stateside. Her UK deal with React Records, the label that originally released Honey, reportedly included plans for a follow-up "Don't Believe A Word" to be released fell through. More encouraging chart success was to be found in Italy with her collaborations with Italian dance producers Datura: "Mystic Motion"; "The Passion"; and "Devotion."
Since then Billie has worked with Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas and members of Aretha Franklin's band on her album "18 Carat Garbage", performed her "Repulsion" show (a live score to the Roman Polanski movie) to great acclaim at both the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road and at London's Institute of Contemporary Art, and she continues to release cutting-edge electronic music, such as her recent releases "No Brakes on My Rollerskates" and "Dead Again". In 2005/06 she released collaborations with Dj Hell and Slam.
A new single: Undisco Me, has been released on Rebirth Records in April 2007, and has received much acclaim as well as various dance chart positions (no 6 in the uk etc). it is about to be released in benelux and Canada.
She is currently recording new material, including a new album and various collaborative projects. Recently she began a career as a club dj as a means to keep boredom at bay. After numerous critical nods, her club "Komputerliebe" is flourishing as a club "event" and Billie has taken to the road to dj in worldwide cities as well as her current home in London.
In August it was reported[1] that Billie Ray Martin had joined up with Robert Solheim from Current Music to form a new project: The Opiates. Their first album "Hollywood under the knife" is now almost completely recorded. The project has taken a priority over the other Billie Ray Martin album which is also being worked on.
[edit] Albums
- Persuasion Ep (w/Spooky - 1993, reissued 2003)
- Four Ambient Tales EP (1993, re-released 2000)
- Deadline for My Memories (1996) - #47 UK
- 18 Carat Garbage (2001)
- 18 Carat Garbage Demos (2002)
- Brm New Demos (2003)
- Recycled Garbage (2006)
[edit] Singles
- Persuasion (Billie Ray Martin featuring Spooky) (1993)
- Your Loving Arms (1995) - #6 UK
- Running Around Town (1996) - #29 UK
- Imitation Of Life (1996) - #29 UK
- Space Oasis (1996) - #66 UK
- You And I Keep Holding On (1997)
- Pacemaker(1998)
- Honey (1999) - #54 UK
- I'm Not Keen (Mikael Delta featuring Billie Ray Martin) (2002)
- Systems Of Silence (2001)
- Where Fools Rush In (2001)
- 18 Carat Garbage (2002)
- Honey '03 (2003)
- Disco Activisto - The First Two Singles (2004)
- No Brakes On My Rollerskates (Hot Skates 3000 featuring Billie Ray Martin) (2005)
- Undisco Me (2007) #20 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
[edit] Remixes
"Imitation Of Life" was remixed by Grammy Award winning remixer David Morales.
Brian Transeau (aka BT) produced remixes for the singles "Space Oasis" and "Running Around Town".
Almost all of Billie Ray Martin's singles have been remixed by Junior Vasquez, including "Your Loving Arms", "Running Around Town", "Space Oasis", "Systems Of Silence", and "18 Carat Garbage". Their professional relationship was said to have ended after it was noted Jr's people had proved somewhat "difficult" to deal with. An unfinished "Undisco Me" had already been played in a number of the Dj's sets.
"Your Loving Arms" and "Imitation Of Life" were remixed by Brothers In Rhythm.
Roger Sanchez and Todd Terry both remixed "Your Loving Arms" edits - it was hoped the latter would replicate the enormous stateside success enjoyed by Everything But The Girl's #2 monster-hit "Missing."
"Honey" was remixed by Above & Beyond, Chicane, and Deep Dish.
"Pacemaker" was remixed by E-Smoove.
[edit] See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
And Chicane mix on Honey
