5 Facts / 5 Tracks: Angie Brown

The iconic vocalist Angie Brown has had a glittered career. The south Londoner has worked with a list of artists from every corner of the music sphere, including Lisa Stansfield, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Heaven 17, Midge Ure, Grace Jones, Neneh Cherry, Desmond Dekker, Fatboy Slim, Chaka Khan, and The Stereophonics, and that’s only scratching the surface.

Angie got her big break with Bizarre Inc. in 1992 on the now timeless single ‘I’m Gonna Get You’. It peaked at No.2 on the UK Official Charts, stayed inside the Top 10 for eight weeks and hit the top spot of the American Dance Charts. Following primetime TV appearances on Top Of The Pops, Good Morning and even the Big Breakfast with Zig and Zag, Angie Brown’s stamp on music culture was sealed.

This powerhouse of a woman has never stopped since. While she remains an in-demand session and featured artist – as well as a DJ spinning at some of the coolest hangouts around the world – Angie Brown is a solo artist releasing several tracks under her own steam.

She’s just dropped the modern-house classic ‘Giving Me More’ on Perfect Havoc alongside ManyFew and Eddie Craig and has signed a deal with Armada Music where the releases are coming thick and fast.

Expect plenty more tracks from the songstress throughout 2024 in collaboration with the legend Joe Smooth and the mysterious duo WH0. With her beautifully distinctive and soaring voice, it’s always immediate from the first note when Angie Brown is on duty.

We caught up with Angie Brown to delve into her past to unearth 5 lesser-known facts and 5 tracks that she couldn’t live without. Grab her new single ‘Giving Me More’ here.

5 Facts

1. My mother was 42 years old when I was born.  My parents – Alma and Alfred – had issues trying to start a family, and it wasn’t until they immigrated to the UK that they were able to receive the right treatment. I finally arrived as a happy and healthy baby to overjoyed parents on 13th June 1963.

2. I was always obsessed with singing to the point of getting into trouble at school for singing in class. Whether I was performing in the annual school musicals or dueting along with The Osmond’s or The Jackson 5 on the radio – I had to sing! When I was 16, my mother allowed me to have singing lessons a fabulous and renowned London singing teacher, Annette Batam. Over the years she taught me fantastic singing techniques and ways to preserve my voice – which has naturally matured – to become the vocalist I am today. Nettie is now 91 and we remain friends to this day.

3. After leaving Southwark College with four O-levels, I auditioned and got into St Catherine‘s Drama School in Guildford. It was a small and exclusive private school. I only completed one year out of the two year course – I realised that the acting side of show business wasn’t for me and so I devoted my life to a career of singing.

4. I was more than just a backing vocalist on Mark Morrison’s worldwide smash hit ‘Return Of The Mack’ – I should’ve been credited as a guest performer and writer! I improvised the middle 8 – the spoken, sexy voice? Don’t get me wrong, I have no regrets as I was honoured to be a credited as a backing vocalist on such a successful track that has had over 3.5 billion streams.

5. I appeared on the single ‘Move Your Body’ by Ownboss & Sevek on Spinnin’ a couple of years back. It’s had over 3 billion streams, it won an EDM Bassline Award, it is the official signature choon for F1 PlayStation 2023 and was the fourth most played song in the world that same year.

5 Tracks

Todd Terry Ft. Martha Wash & Jocelyn Brown – Keep On Jumpin’ – Logic Records

A timeless, dance floor-filling classic that will never ever die. It’s a work of art, which is true to its 90s house production. The combination of Todd Terry, Martha Walsh, and Jocelyn Brown – some of the originators of Chicago house – created this unforgettable feel-good song.

M-Gee feat. Mica Paris – Body Swerve (Club Mix) – Swing City Records

No words are needed, but I really have to go there with this bad bwoy. Bodyswerve is house music at its finest. Crafted with sheer love and total respect for real house music. Mica Paris’s vocal delivery is literally on fire, which results in her holding no prisoners. It is a real crowd pleaser so if you want the party to get started, this one will never let you down!

JVKE – Golden Hour (Anton Powers Remix) – JVKE

This literally reaches into the core of my soul. A forever-song that really makes me smile, and always makes me feel positive about life. It’s a beautifully crafted masterpiece that floats gloriously through the atmosphere. It lifts me up to a higher place bathed in golden light and is always enjoyable. To say this song is a feel-good song for me is an understatement! It’s just blissfully delightful, happy and shiny, in every way.

Joe Smooth – Promised Land – D.J. International

A hands-down, stand the ‘test-of-time’ undeniable classic. This choon is for ‘real’ lovers of house music ONLY! Joe’s timeless song is a truly authentic, piano-led, Ibiza anthem. It has an original Chicago house groove flowing throughout the production and an uplifting and heartwarming, big vocal chorus to boot! It blatantly resonates with every cross section of house music lover. It’ll always be a forever popular ‘must-have’ choon in my record box and that of every single house DJ out there!

Tori Amos – Professional Widow – EastWest/Atlantic

This is a musical masterpiece of a classic house choon. It shows no mercy in its relentlessness that makes you fall head over heels in love with its fabulous, fresh ‘n’ funky house groove. Professional Wido, always strikes a chord with me as this song was well ahead of its time. This is music that is a work of art, which will never be forgotten. It well and truly championed the way for great house music as it set a blueprint for DJ/producers globally to completely experiment, creatively. This track is an unforgettable trailblazer for great house music.