When Desiree Heslop decided to take a tilt at the music industry windmill she had the good sense to change her name. She joined Osibisa in the late 1970s before touring as a background vocalist with several artists, among them Evelyn Thomas and Precious Wilson. In the early 80's with her brother Donovan Heslop as her manager, she took a shot at a solo career. Releasing Another World in 1984 she made barely a ripple but the following year she found herself with a new production team.
Adopting the stage name Princess, she was signed as a solo act to PWL, where the production team of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken & Pete Waterman took a vested interest in her. Say I'm Your Number One was written and produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman and released on the new Supreme Records label. It was a UK Top 10 hit in 1985 selling over a million copies worldwide. They produced her first solo album Princess which was released in 1986. The album included three further Top 40 singles.
- Say I'm Your Number 1
- Short Version
- Senza Voce
Supreme Records SUPET D 103
Despite being under the same umbrella as Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan, the launch of Princess was handled well by S.A.W. PWL were using all the latest technology and were heavily involved in the use of the promotional remix. In the capable hands of 'The Mixmaster' Phil Harding, she was digitally mastered (in 1985 people!) and released on Supreme Records who sported the by-line "A Statement In Soul". I'm not sure what the statement was but with Mel & Kim and Lonnie Gordon as her stable mates, 'Popular' springs to mind but 'Soulful' doesn't. Princess rose above this for a while though, keeping it slow and low with a walking bass line she retained a modicum of credibility despite the odds.
Say I'm Your Number 1 came in a variety of mixes. This 12" came free with (I think?) After The Love Has Gone but I can't find the 12". I always played the Chief Inspector Mix from Street Sounds 15 so I guess my 12" was lost back in the 80's.
The remixes are the work of The Funky Sisters who were responsible for a rework of Windjammer's Tossing & Turning the year before. Pulling heavily from Michael Jackson's Billy Jean, the bass line is worked to the max and the song ends up around the nine minute mark.
Princess recorded her second 1987 album, All For Love in the United States but it didn't match up to the success of her debut. From 1991 to 2003 she lived in U.S. before returning to England and appearing in ITV's Hit Me Baby One More Time. For an in depth read click here.
- REMIX Number 2
- H.R.H. Mix No. 3
The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Princess.rar Filesize: 71.29 MB
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