Ultra Naté has never been your typical dance music diva. Throughout her illustrious 15-year career, the internationally-acclaimed singer/songwriter and performer has always been a musical chameleon who strived to challenge herself artistically without rules. She has-with much perseverance, hard work, and talent-successfully shattered the image of the cookie-cutter dance princess. Along the way she has boldly erased the borders between pop, rhythm-and-blues and dance with a flamboyant flair confidently incorporating various musical mediums into her repertoire (including house, soul, future jazz, drum 'n' bass, electronic and rock-pop), which includes some of the most infectious, urgent and daringly eclectic music.
"To me music is an expression of attitude, emotion and sentiment which evolves and varies depending on a variety of elements and how they translate" Ultra explains. "It's important for an artist to not feel too bound or limited by style expectations. The creative process is its own animal sometimes...it has to stay organic...or else it becomes too contrived. I have a diverse taste in music and those influences from so many different places sneak in and make their statement. There are similarities in a lot of my songs in that there is generally a common thread of optimism even in the bleakest of times...which is how I try to live my life. The difference between one tune and the other is more about 'feel' in the production. While this keeps things interesting on one hand it can be tricky on another because the industry needs to put an artist in a specific category. At the same time you have to stay fresh and interesting to sustain a career so it's always like walking a tight rope."
When she first appeared in 1989, with the international club anthem "It's Over Now," no one could have possibly predicted what would become of clubland's original "diva of despair". As is often the case with the typical dance music artist, artistic longevity is not considered to be part of the overall plan.
"I think a lot of people were surprised when I first came out because I had a very different sound. My vocal and writing style was very much my own and not overshadowed by the producer...which was the norm both then and now. I think that distinctive statement, albeit not necessarily intentional, gave me an edge. I don't think anyone thought twice as to whether or not I'd still be making records so many years later. Everyone was just enjoying the great day in the sun that the dance industry was having. Although now, as everyone is reeling from how difficult the industry has become - especially in dance music - they probably appreciate the span that my career has endured."
To date, Ultra has released 4 acclaimed studio albums including Blue Notes In The Basement (Warner Bros., 1991), One Woman's Insanity (Warner Bros., 1993), Situation: Critical (Strictly Rhythm, 1998) and Stranger Than Fiction (Strictly Rhythm, 2000), as well as, numerous club classics such as "Scandal," "Rejoicing," "It's Over Now," "Show Me," "Joy," "New Kind of Medicine," "Found A Cure," "Divine Love," "Desire," "Breakfast For Two" and "Twisted."
However, it would be her 1998 million-selling, commercial cross-over smash "Free" (penned by Naté and Mood II Swing's Lem Springsteen and John Ciafone) that would catapult the dance music diva into the international spotlight. The spiritually uplifting global anthem was a Top-10 pop single throughout much of Europe (in Spain and Italy, the single reached the #1 spot on the national charts). In the U.S., "Free" soared to the top of the Billboard Club Play and Maxi-Singles Sales charts, before crossing over to Top-40 radio.
"The moment I felt the reaction to 'Free' was at the Winter Music Conference in Miami that year. I went to the conference with no preconceived notions or expectations. I just really hoped that people would like it and not be wigged out because it was a very different sound from my earlier material. I had been dropped from Warner Bros. 4 years earlier and had only released the title track from the 'Party Girl' film. Being dropped from Warner had really gutted me, so I'd kept a pretty low profile until I was ready to make a statement with a new deal in place. I took my time crafting the right material for my album and my 1st single. Mood ll Swing, myself and my manager where working like mad scientists to get that 1st single right...right in what we considered to be right...what the rest of the world would think remained to be seen. When the 1st promo copies where given out at WMC, the response was phenomenal and overwhelming. In the months that followed, it was released and just kept climbing the charts everywhere...people were singing it in the streets! No matter how many times it was played they sang it with the same passion every time! Even now, years later, people still want to hear that song.it's become a classic.an achievement I'm very proud of."
Over the years, Ultra's musical evolution has been an exciting journey pairing her with an array of groundbreaking and acclaimed producers / collaborators such as Nellee Hooper (No Doubt, Bjork), Arnthor & Bloodshy (Janet Jackson, Britney Spears), Stonebridge, Masters At Work, Basement Boys, 4 Hero, D-Influence, Lenny Kravitz, Nona Hendryx (Labelle), Robert Clivilles (C&C Music Factory), Al Mack, Gerry DeVeaux (Angie Stone), Louie Balo, N'Dea Davenport, Blaze, Soulshock, Cutfather and Karlin, Brian Morgan (SWV, Jojo), Tiefschwartz, Lati Kronlund (Brooklyn Funk Essentials), the Berman Brothers (on the 1998 hit collaboration "If You Could Read My Mind" from the film, "54" in which she also appeared), Headrillaz, Mood II Swing and Attica Blues.
"Working with people like D-Influence, The Basement Boys, Lenny Kravitz, Nona Hendryx, Ndea' Davenport, etc., has been fun and educational. These are people whose music and talents as songwriters, producers and artists I admire and enjoy greatly. Working with so many diverse people has taught me to surrender to an extent and let the creative process happen...you can't control everything...don't be uptight...have fun with it. explore and experiment."
Last year, the enterprising artist re-emerged with her own independent BluFire imprint asserting control over her own artistic pursuits without any record label interference. According to the buoyantly optimistic singer / songwriter, the decision to embark on a solo independent venture was a wise and self-affirming decision. "I think this decision was an eventuality for me," she says. "There are always issues behind the scenes on a creative or business level, but there wasn't one single catalyst. I just felt that this was a natural progression. I needed to take a chance by doing something completely fresh and new. It was time for me to reconnect on a total grassroots level and explore an endless array of new possibilities and options that exist for me."
Her first release, "Brass In Pocket," boldly transformed The Pretenders' seminal 1980 hit into a haunting and brazen tripped-out electro-dub confection, claiming it as her own. The single, which was produced by Headrillaz and featured mixes by Dylan Drazen, B-15 Project, Q&K Session, Charles Dockins and Redtop, along with two bonus cuts "Whatchagonnadoo" (a new recording produced by Naté' and newcomers Double Deuce) and a live version of her classic 1989 hit "It's Over Now" (featuring human beatbox maestro Kenny Muhammed, the Human Orchestra) was a certifiable hit for the enduring veteran and a glimpse into the sonic blueprint of her long-overdue 5th studio opus Grime, Silk and Thunder.
Over the past year, Ultra has been quite prolific collaborating with an impressive list of artists and producers at a dizzying pace. Her current releases include: a series of new mixes of her signature hit "Free" on Curvve Records featuring remixes from Jason Nevins, Junior Sanchez, Trendroid and Murk's own Oscar G.; STONEBRIDGE featuring ULTRA Naté "Freak On" - the third single from STONEBRIDGE's hit album Can't Get Enough (Hed Kandi, UK); "A Wonderful Place" from BLAZE's critically-acclaimed LifeBeat benefit album Keep Hope Alive (King Street) featuring an "all-star" cast of house music heavyweights including Barbara Tucker, Joi Cardwell, Kenny Bobien, Arnold Jarvis and Byron Stingily; ULTRADEVOTED "Time Of Our Lives" (a collaboration between Ultra Naté and Gerry De Veaux recorded and released as the anthem for Australian Pride celebrations in 2004); GAUDINO featuring ULTRA NATÉ "Bittersweet Melody" (Rise, Italy); and ULTRA Naté' "Feel Love" released on London's influential Chillifunk Records.
"I love occasionally working on independent projects because they present new and diverse opportunities and challenges. 'Twisted' was a stand out favorite from the 'Stranger Than Fiction' record and when I was approached to re-do the song for the Re-Jazz project I thought it would be an excellent interpretation of the song. I'm very happy with the outcome of the recording. Over the years people have told me that I have a jazzy vibe to my vocal style so it was really cool to have a song done totally for that genre. Working with Stonebridge was also a great experience. We've been friends for some time, so when he asked me to write something for his album project on Hed Kandi, I was more than willing to do so. He gave me this track which had an 80's funk/disco sound and I loved it! It inspired a very Klymaxx 'Meeting In The Ladies Room' vibe for me...and thus "Freak On" was crafted. It's a funky pop/disco song....a feel good song...that feels retro but it's also fresh and modern."
Most recently, Ultra has added the title of "DJ" to her long list of credits. She can often be seen manning the decks at her own weekly Baltimore soiree "Sugar."
"I love DJing," she beams. "I always played records...I used to swipe my mother's collection and play them all the time but I never thought of myself in terms of being a 'DJ' until now. I didn't think people would take me seriously. If it were contrived, people can feel that...it's not about that for me. It happened very organically in that I just gathered some records 2 years ago and taught myself how to mix...I wanted to hear some music but I didn't feel like going out...it seemed like a fun challenge to mix the records I wanted to hear...and I was instantly addicted! I grew up in the clubs listening to DJ's before and during my career so it was a natural extension of being a musician. I've always loved to see people dancing and having a good time...so now I get to create that excitement while presenting all the great music out there. It's very different from making records but it's still a creative process in balancing the technical skill of mixing with programming a set to create a vibe."
Despite all of her multiple personalities, Ultra's main focus and passion has been completing Grime, Silk and Thunder. The forthcoming long-player, which includes "Brass In Pocket," promises to be a gritty soul-funk exploration featuring collaborations with the legendary Nona Hendryx, East West Connection, Headrillaz, 4 Hero, Fuzz Townsend (of Bentley Rhythm Ace), N'Dea Davenport, Dajae, former Prince protégée Jill Jones, Jay Williams, Good & Evil, Renee Neufville (formerly of Zhane), John Ciafone (formerly of Mood II Swing), Andre Levin (of Grammy-nomiNatéd outfit Yerba Buena) and Baltimore-based production team the Mothafunkas.
"I'm excited about the possibilities that this record presents. The industry has changed so much and in some ways not for the better but change always marks an opportunity. I've been in the trenches before and I'm still here. When it's your time nothing can stop you if you follow your dream. Success is opportunity meeting preparation so I keep moving forward."
"I'm writing my story as I go is how I often feel...there are no guarantees...only possibilities and risks. I've been able to work with different producers and songwriters who have helped me discover different sides of my creativity, both musically and lyrically. I've learned the importance of staying flexible and trying new things. I didn't get locked into any one creative pattern. It's like a poker game...nothing ventured, nothing gained!
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