Melissa Bell (singer) facts for kids
Melissa Cecelia Ewen Bell (born March 5, 1964 – died August 28, 2017) was a talented English singer. From 1993 to 1996, Bell was one of the main singers for the British R&B group Soul II Soul. With them, she released a popular song called "Wish". Melissa also started her own band, Soul Explosion, in 1999. She even worked with famous artists like Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder.
Early Life
Melissa Bell was born in London, England. Her parents were from Jamaica, so she had African and East Indian family roots. She studied at Southwark College in London Borough of Southwark. Before becoming a full-time singer, she worked in customer service for Marks and Spencer from 1982 to 1991.
Music Career
Melissa Bell started her music journey in 1987. She was featured on a song called "Walk on the Wild Side" by Bobby E and the Midi City Crew. In 1991, she sang on "The Dancer" from the Bingoboys' album.
Her first solo song, "Reconsider," came out in 1992. It was played a lot on the radio. In the same year, she released another song called "Crystal Clear."
Joining Soul II Soul
In 1993, Melissa joined the famous British music group Soul II Soul. The group's leader, Jazzie B, heard her song "Reconsider" and asked her to join. She recorded a song called "Wish" with them. This song was released on their greatest hits album, Volume IV The Classic Singles 88–93, in 1993.
"Wish" became a big hit, reaching number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. Because of its success, Melissa performed the song on the popular TV show Top of the Pops. She continued to record and tour with Soul II Soul as one of their main singers. In 1995, she sang lead vocals on the song "Be a Man" from their album Volume V: Believe. In 1996, she left the group to focus on her solo career again.
Solo Work and Soul Explosion
After leaving Soul II Soul, Melissa released more solo songs in 1997. These included "Surrender," "Mixed Up," and "Nothing Gonna Stop Me Now." In 1999, she formed a new soul band called Soul Explosion.
In 2000, she released two songs, "Into My World" and "Love's in Need of Love Today," with a group called Dazz. She released another song, "(No More) Searching," in 2002.
In June 2010, Melissa shared her life story in her autobiography. It was called Heart and Soul: The Emotional Autobiography of Melissa Bell.
Personal Life
Melissa Bell was a mother of four children. One of her children is the well-known singer Alexandra Burke. Melissa had diabetes, a health condition that ran in her family. She also had kidney problems. These health issues sometimes made it hard for her to attend her daughter's live performances when Alexandra was on The X Factor.
Melissa Bell passed away on August 28, 2017. Her daughter announced her death the next day.
