Imaani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Imaani Saleem
Imaani performing at the Dalston Festival Vortex in September 2008
Background information
Birth name	Melonie Crosdale
Also known as	Imaani
Born	(1972-01-01) 1 January 1972 (age 53) Nottingham, England
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1995–present
Labels	EMI (1998–99)
Associated acts	Tru Faith & Dub Conspiracy, Incognito, The Layabouts, Reel People, Copyright Project

Imaani Saleem (born Melonie Crosdale on 1 January 1972) is a talented singer from England with Jamaican roots. She is most famous for representing the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998. Her song, "Where Are You", came in second place. It also became a popular song, reaching the top 20 in the UK and other European countries.

Even though "Where Are You?" was her only solo song to become a big hit, Imaani has had other successes. In 2000, she was part of another top 20 hit with Tru Faith & Dub Conspiracy. She has also recorded many songs with the jazz-dance group Incognito. In 2014, she released her first album called Standing Tall.

Imaani's Early Life and Music Journey

Imaani Saleem was born in Nottingham, England. Her family originally came from Jamaica.

After finishing college, Imaani moved to London. One day, she met a music producer on a train, which led her into the music business. In 1995, she sang on a song called "Easin' My Mind" for a group named FM Inc. The next year, in 1996, she sang on the album Beneath the Surface by the band Incognito.

Representing the UK at Eurovision 1998

In 1998, Imaani entered a competition called The Great British Song Contest. This competition chose the song that would represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest that year. Her song, "Where Are You", was a big favorite with the British public. It was chosen to represent the UK in the main contest.

At the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, Imaani came in second place. She was only seven points behind the winner, Dana International. This was a great achievement for her and the UK.

After Eurovision, "Where Are You" became a hit song in May 1998. It reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and stayed popular for many weeks. Over 250,000 copies of the song were sold. Despite this success, her record label, EMI, decided not to release her next song and stopped working with her in 1999.

Imaani's Career After Eurovision

In 2000, Imaani sang the main vocals for a UK garage cover of a song called "Freak Like Me". This song reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. After this, Imaani continued to record with the jazz-funk band Incognito. She has sung on more than 10 of their albums.

Since 2005, Imaani has also performed with a British music group called the AllStars Collective. In 2006, she sang on a house song called "Bring Me Love" by the Copyright Project. This song became a top 5 hit on the UK Dance Chart.

In 2014, Imaani released her first album as a solo artist, titled Standing Tall. One of the songs from this album, "Struggling", was featured on a popular soul music album in 2015.

More recently, in 2023, Imaani teamed up with the Revival Collective. They released a cover of the song "Best of My Love" as a single.

Imaani's Music: Albums and Singles

Albums

• Standing Tall (2014)

Popular Singles

Imaani has had several songs that have appeared on music charts: