Claudja Barry
Encyclopedia
Claudja Barry, is a singer and actress who has performed in the European versions of the stage musicals Hair
and Catch My Soul
.
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" (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) 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) and was also remixed into a 12" Disco Single.
/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. 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
.
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.
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.
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
and Catch My Soul
Catch My Soul
For UK Stage version see Catch My Soul Catch My Soul is a 1974 film produced by Jack Good and Richard M. Rosenbloom, and directed by Patrick McGoohan. It was an adaptation of Good's stage musical of the same title, which itself was loosely adapted from William Shakespeare's Othello...
.
Early music career
Claudja Barry was aged six when her family emigrated to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where Barry grew up in Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
. After graduation from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Barry left for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she eventually landed a role in the hit musical Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, then Catch My Soul
Catch My Soul
For UK Stage version see Catch My Soul Catch My Soul is a 1974 film produced by Jack Good and Richard M. Rosenbloom, and directed by Patrick McGoohan. It was an adaptation of Good's stage musical of the same title, which itself was loosely adapted from William Shakespeare's Othello...
. The play toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where she eventually wound up in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in the spring of 1975. In Germany, she met producer Frank Farian
Frank Farian
Frank Farian , is a German record producer and songwriter. He started out as a trained cook before moving into the music industry...
and became part of the studio group Boney M
Boney M
Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
from 1975 to 1976, but left after tiring of simply lip-syncing
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
to pre-recorded music.
After leaving Boney M, Barry had some success as a solo artist. She had two Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
entries, the first being "Dancin' Fever" which peaked at #72, off The Girl Most Likely album, the other song being "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes" (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
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(where "Dancin' Shoes" peaked at #7 on the RPM 100
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
national chart on April 7, 1979 and remained on the chart for 23 weeks) as well as in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. 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) 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 WaveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
music with the album Made In Hong Kong
Made in Hong Kong
Made in Hong Kong may refer to:* Made in Hong Kong , 1997 Hong Kong film directed by Fruit Chan* Made in Hong Kong , a 1981 album by Claudja Barry* Made in Hong Kong , a 2009 live album by Nightwish...
. It featured the lead single "Radio Action", which became a moderate club hit peaking at #57.
In 1985, she appeared in the movie Rappin'
Rappin'
Rappin is a 1985 film directed by Joel Silberg, written by Adam Friedman and Robert J. Litz and starring Mario Van Peebles. Van Peebles plays "Rappin' John Hood", an ex-convict, who attempts to save his neighborhood from developers and hoodlums...
, starring Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles
Mario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
. The year 1985 also saw the release of the single, "Born To Love" which sounds similar to a Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
or Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
song. This single was produced by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
based Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
producer, singer and songwriter, Bobby Orlando
Bobby Orlando
Robert Philip Orlando , also known as Bobby Orlando, is an American record producer, dance music artist, musician and songwriter.- Early life :...
. "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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
did not give it major exposure since the album it was lifted from was a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-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. 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
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
.
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 CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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
WMPH
WMPH is Delaware's first high school radio station, located in Wilmington. The Brandywine School District Board of Education owns the license granted by the FCC. The call letters WMPH stand for Mount Pleasant High and offered several program formats including Top 40, progressive rock, dance and...
. 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 JordanMontell Jordan
Montell Jordan is a former American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Jordan became the main solo male artist on its Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. Of his live performances it is often regarded that he is a rock oriented musician, with Jordan even going as far as to...
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.
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 KongMade in Hong Kong (album)Made in Hong Kong is Claudja Barry's fourth album released in 1981. By this album, she had shed her "disco diva" image thus avoiding much of the American disco blacklash at the time...
Hot Productions 1981 - If I Do It To You Ensign (UK)1985
- I, Claudja Epic RecordsEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
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 OrlandoBobby OrlandoRobert Philip Orlando , also known as Bobby Orlando, is an American record producer, dance music artist, musician and songwriter.- Early life :...