We built a hot, sleek, entirely responsive new website for the Legendary UK artist Princess whose discography includes the multi-million seller Say I’m Your Number One and whose debut album ‘Princess’ went gold is enjoying a rebirth, ‘The Emergence’.
Born in London and Christened Desiree Heslop she received the name PRINCESS, after her brother/manager, Donovan Heslop (Don), dreamt that she should be renamed as such.
Princess grew up listening and singing to artists as diverse as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and Donny Hathaway and including bands like Weather Report, indicates the scope of her childhood listening experience.
She became more aware of her own vocal ability via three pivotal events.
1. At the end of the UK primary school year, her music teacher coerced and rehearsed her into singing a solo at the last assembly before class headed to secondary/high school. After the solo, teachers and friends were crying and hugging her as if she’d just walked on water, she thought, “I like this!”
2. Seeing Stevie Wonder at Wembley Stadium. Stevie had cast such a spell that the crowds leaving Wembley car park were generous and polite to each other – giving up right-of-way. That was mystical! Some 15 years later Stevie Wonder came to a recording session she was doing in New York … Beyond thrilling!!!
3. She was washing dishes and singing ‘Say A Little Prayer’, by Aretha Franklin. Her big brother, Don, who she had just met for the first time had been visiting from Germany during the school summer holidays, heard her. After the initial shock and delight that his little sister could sing so well, he became determined that the World should hear her!
Encouraged and supported by her brother and family, Princess did session work and live back up vocal work. Finally her vocals caught the attention of SAW and PWL. The first session with them was also ‘pivotal’, they loved her work and Don liked what he could see of the set-up. He waited overtime to meet with Pete Waterman and discuss a mutually beneficial alliance.
The first single was ‘Say I’m Your Number One’, and went on to be a multi-million-seller, followed by three more hit singles and the eponymous first album ‘PRINCESS’.