Maizie Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maizie Williams
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Williams performing at Lets Rock Bristol in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maizie Ursula Williams |
| Born | 25 March 1951 Birmingham, England |
| Origin | Brades, Montserrat |
| Genres | R&B, eurodisco, reggae |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Hansa Records, Sony-BMG |
| Associated acts | Boney M. |
Maizie Ursula Williams (born March 25, 1951) is a British model, dancer, and singer. She was one of the first members of the super popular 1970s disco group, Boney M.. Even though she didn't sing on their studio songs, she performed live. Later, she started her own singing career.
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Maizie's Early Life and Career
Maizie Williams grew up in Birmingham, England. She started her career as a model. In 1973, she won a beauty contest and was named Miss Black Beautiful. After this, she formed her own band called Black Beautiful People.
Later, Maizie moved to West Germany with her friend Sheyla Bonnick. In 1975, an agent asked them if they wanted to join a new pop group. This group was going to be called Boney M.. Maizie said yes, even though her brother once told her she had a "terrible voice."
Joining Boney M.
It turned out that singing wasn't the main job at first. The group needed dancers to perform a disco song called "Baby Do You Wanna Bump". A producer named Frank Farian had recorded the song. He needed people to promote it because he was a singer himself.
Maizie and Sheyla joined two other performers. They toured discothèques and did some TV shows. Over time, the group's members changed. Finally, the classic Boney M. lineup came together. This included Maizie Williams, Bobby Farrell, Marcia Barrett, and Liz Mitchell. They were ready to make more music.
Boney M.: A Disco Sensation
Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett were the main singers in Boney M. They recorded songs with producer Frank Farian. He also sang the deep male voice parts. Their next song, "Daddy Cool", became a huge hit worldwide. This launched Boney M.'s amazing career. They had many hit songs and albums for the next ten years.
Maizie Williams and Bobby Farrell did not sing on the studio recordings. Frank Farian explained that their voices were not right for that specific music. However, this was common in disco music back then. Both Maizie and Bobby did sing during the group's many live shows. They toured all over the world between 1977 and 1979.
Maizie stayed with Boney M. until they officially broke up in 1990. In 1994, she formed her own version of the group. It was called "Boney M featuring Maizie Williams." Sheyla Bonnick, from the very first Boney M. lineup, also joined this group. In this new group, Maizie finally got to be the lead singer. She sang hits like "Brown Girl in the Ring" and "Sunny".
Maizie's Solo Career and Recent Work
Maizie Williams still tours the world with her group. In December 2006, she released her first solo record. It was called Call Upon Jesus. It included a song called "Praise Be Unto Him."
In February 2007, she released her own dance version of the Boney M. hit "Sunny." In June of that year, she was featured on a song by the Latvian group Melo-M. Their version of "Daddy Cool" became a number one hit in Latvia.
In September 2011, Maizie worked with Dutch songwriters Eddie Middle-Line and Björn de Water. They wrote a tribute song called "Josephine Baker." The song and its music video were released worldwide.
See also
In Spanish: Maizie Williams para niños
