Princess (singer)

Princess

Heslop in 2014

Background information
Birth name| Desiree Carole Heslop
Also known as| Princess
HRS Princess
Born|  (1961-11-28) 28 November 1961 (age 63)
London, England
Genres|

* R&B[1]
* soul
* disco
* synth-pop
* contemporary R&B

Occupation(s)| Singer, songwriter
Instrument| Vocals
Years active| 1983–present
Labels|

* Supreme
* Sony BMG Music Entertainment
* Universal Music Group
* Warner Music Group

Musical artist

Desiree Carole Heslop (born 28 November 1961), best known as Princess, is a British soul singer who found chart success in the mid-1980s. In the early 1980s, she worked with the afro soul group Osibisa. She is best known for her hit single "Say I'm Your Number One" which made the UK Top 10 in 1985.[2] Three of Princess' other songs also made the UK Top 40 - "After The Love Has Gone", "I'll Keep On Loving You" and "Tell Me Tomorrow". The latter would be re-mixed for the soundtrack of the film Knights & Emeralds in 1986.

## Career

[edit]

Princess was born as Desiree Carole Heslop on 28 November 1961. Her father, James Lloyd Heslop, had previously had a hit song in the 1970s, "Keep On Smiling". Desiree also has an older brother, Donovan, who acts as her manager.

Princess initially started out in law as a secretary and sales assistant. During her first year of college she sang vocals on a punk rock track. Before going solo, she was a backing vocalist for the band Osibisa in the early 1980s.[3][4] She recorded sessions on the Brilliant album Kiss The Lips of Life, which brought her to the attention of producers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW).

Princess also sang backing vocals for artists such as Precious Wilson and Evelyn "Champagne" King. In 1985, Princess, known as Desiree at the time, collaborated with 501's, and released the cover single "Let the Night Take the Blame", which was released under Fanfare Records. The single failed to chart.

Her debut solo album Princess (1986) was composed and produced by SAW which contained the hit single, "Say I'm Your Number One". The album spawned five charting singles, with four of them reaching the UK top 40 [5] and was certified Silver in the UK.

Princess signed with Polydor and recorded her second album, All for Love (1987) in the United States, but neither the album nor its four singles had much success.[2]

Under Touch Tone Records, Princess released a standalone single, "Lover Don't Go" in 1989, which wasn't very successful due to a barcode error. The music video was self-financed.

Her third album, Say It, which was slated for release in 1990, was never issued due to budget concerns. She did provide backing vocals on Vanilla Ice album To the Extreme in 1990,[6] however by the next year she had moved to the United States and retired from music.

In 1998; Princess issued a single release of a cover of The Sweeter He Is by The Soul Children. It did not chart.

In 2003, after moving back to England, Princess formed her own music label with her brother Donovan, OnDa Ground Music Label, which has released all her music since, and released her first single in 14 years, "Ride", with rap ensemble E.E.D.B. A music video was filmed in 2004 which referenced her retirement.

She appeared in ITV's 2005 production Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, singing Kylie Minogue's "Slow". During the recording of the production; she announced a studio album, "Temple of Love" which was never released.

In 2008, Princess released single "Sweet Money" which failed to chart. A similar issue happened with her 2010 single "One Away".

In April 2014, she released her third album, The Emergence, her first in 27 years. It was the first in a trilogy of albums, the other ones titled The Passion and The One. To support the album, Princess released one single and music video "I'm Gonna Love Ya".

In March 2019, she released the EP "The Passion Part 1".

In May 2021, Princess released a teaser for her single "Silhouettes in the Dark", which can be found on her YouTube channel. In July that year, an interview with Princess and her brother Donovan was featured on "A Journey Through Soul" podcast, which would later return in November.

On 14 February 2023 she released the single "Will You Call Me" from her upcoming album "The Passion".

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Chart positions  | Certifications | Record label

|
|
|
|

[7] | AUS
[8]
1986  | Princess | 15  | 81  |

* BPI: Silver[9]

| Supreme Records
1987  | All for Love | —  | —  |  | Polydor Records
2014  | The Emergence | —  | —  |  | OnDa Ground Music Label
2019  | The Passion Part I | —  | —  |  | OnDa Ground Music Label
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

### Singles

[edit]

List of singles, with selected chart positions  Title  | Year  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[7] | AUS
[8] | US Dance
[10] | US R&B
[10] | IRE
| SWI
| NOR
| GER
| NLD
| SWE
| ATR
| BEL
| NZ

"Let the Night Take the Blame"  | 1985  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Say I'm Your Number One"  | 7 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 11 | 4 | — | 2 | 6 | — | 29 | 12 | 2
"After the Love Has Gone"  | 28 | 57 | 6 | 41 | 27 | 15 | 5 | 27 | 25 | 8 | — | 21 | 6
"I'll Keep on Loving You"  | 1986  | 16 | — | — | — | 27 | 19 | — | 25 | 41 | — | — | 28 | 11
"Tell Me Tomorrow"  | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 65 | — | — | — | 29 | —
"In the Heat of a Passionate Moment"  | 74 | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Red Hot"  | 1987  | 58 | — | 30 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | —
"I Wish You Love"  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"I Cannot Carry On"  | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Jammin' with Your Love"  | 1988  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Lover Don't Go"  | 1989  | 104 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Dressed to Kill"  | 1989  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Ride"  | 2003  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Sweet Money"  | 2008  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"One Away"  | 2010  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"I'm Gonna Love Ya"  | 2013  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Silhouettes In The Dark"  | 2021  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"Will You Call Me"  | 2023  | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Princess All music Retrieved 28 March 2025
2. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 439/440. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
3. ^ Aniagolu, Charles (2004). Osibisa: Living in the State of Happy Vibes and Criss Cross Rhythms. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781412021067.
4. ^ "Osibisa Albums". www.softshoe-slim.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2003. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
5. ^ Wynn, Ron. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
6. ^ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952–2004. Collins. p. 615\. ISBN 9780007179312.
7. ^ a b "PRINCESS - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
8. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 241\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. ^ "Princess - Princess (album)". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
10. ^ a b "Princess Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved 1 October 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Princess discography at MusicBrainz (Discography)
* Princess at AllMusic
* Discography at Discogs.

* v
* t
* e

Stock Aitken Waterman

* Mike Stock
* Matt Aitken
* Pete Waterman

Notable artists|

* Rick Astley
* Bananarama
* Big Fun
* Brother Beyond
* Dead or Alive
* Hazell Dean
* Divine
* Jason Donovan
* Samantha Fox
* Lonnie Gordon
* Mel and Kim
* Kylie Minogue
* Pepsi & Shirlie
* Princess
* Sinitta
* Mandy Smith
* Sonia
* Donna Summer
* Sybil

Songs written|

* "Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)"
* "I'm So Beautiful"
* "Say I'm Your Number One"
* "Looking Good Diving"
* "Respectable"
* "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now"
* "I Heard a Rumour"
* "Toy Boy"
* "Never Gonna Give You Up"
* "Love in the First Degree
* "Whenever You Need Somebody"
* "I Should Be So Lucky"
* "Together Forever"
* "Got to Be Certain"
* "The Harder I Try"
* "All of Me (Boy Oh Boy)"
* "Take Me to Your Heart
* "Especially for You"
* "This Time I Know It's for Real"
* "Too Many Broken Hearts"
* "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt"
* "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You"
* "Happenin' All Over Again"
* "Better the Devil You Know"
* "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams"
* "Step Back in Time"

Compilations|

* The Hit Factory: The Best of Stock Aitken Waterman
* The Hit Factory Volume 2
* The Hit Factory Volume 3
* A Ton of Hits: The Very Best of Stock Aitken Waterman
* The Hit Factory: Pete Waterman's Greatest Hits
* Stock Aitken Waterman Gold
* Pete Waterman Presents the Hit Factory

Related articles|

* List of songs produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
* Pete Waterman Entertainment

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany

Artists|

* ULAN
* MusicBrainz
* Museum of Modern Art

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