Mica Paris facts for kids

Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known as Mica Paris, is a famous English singer, presenter, and actress. She is known for her powerful voice and soulful music.

Mica Paris released her first album, So Good, in 1988. This album included popular songs like "My One Temptation". Since then, she has released many more albums. In 2020, she also acted in the TV show EastEnders.

Music Career

Mica Paris started singing in her grandparents' church when she was young. As a teenager, she often sang with the Spirit of Watts gospel choir. At 17, she became a backing singer for the band Hollywood Beyond.

Early Success

In 1988, when she was 19, Mica released her first album, So Good. It sold very well and became a platinum album. Her song "My One Temptation" was a big hit. She also sang a duet called "Where Is the Love" with American singer Will Downing. This song was originally famous from the 1970s.

Her next album, Contribution, came out in 1990. On this album, she mixed her soul and gospel style with hip-hop and house music. It included a song called "If I Love U 2 Nite", which was written by the famous artist Prince.

Later Albums and Collaborations

Mica's third album, Whisper a Prayer, was released in 1993. It featured songs like "I Never Felt Like This Before". She also worked with many other artists, including Courtney Pine and Bobby Womack.

In 1998, she released the album Black Angel. This album had her version of U2's song "One". It also included a duet with James Ingram. Two songs from Black Angel, "Stay" and "Carefree", became Top 20 hits.

Mica continued to release new music and work with other musicians. In 2005, she released two albums: If You Could Love Me and Soul Classics. Her sixth studio album, Born Again, came out in 2009. The song "Baby Come Back Now" was written for her by James Morrison.

In 2022, Mica Paris performed at the Platinum Party at the Palace concert. This event celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. She sang "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" with Nicola Roberts and Ruby Turner.

Other Ventures

Mica Paris is not just a singer; she also works in television, radio, and theatre.

Television and Radio Work

In 2002, Mica hosted a show on BBC Radio 2 called Soul Solutions. She also narrated music documentaries. She presented a Channel 4 TV show called The Gospel of Gospel. This show explored how black American church music influenced pop music.

Mica has appeared on many TV shows. She was on Come Dine with Me and won her episode. From 2007, she co-hosted What Not to Wear for BBC Television. She also played a jazz singer in an episode of Marple. Mica has been a guest on shows like Loose Women and The Wright Stuff.

In 2020, Mica Paris joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She played the character Ellie Nixon.

Theatre Performances

Mica Paris has also performed in theatre shows. In 1993, she starred in two West End shows: Mama I Want to Sing and Sweet Lorraine. In 2015, she was part of the musical Love Me Tender. In 2019, Mica starred in a production of Fame.

Writing a Book

Mica Paris wrote a book called Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin. She was inspired to write it after meeting many women while hosting What Not To Wear. The book shares her own story and aims to help others feel confident.

Charity Work

Mica Paris is involved in several charity projects. She supports ByteNight, a charity event that raises money for NCH and helps young people who are homeless. She is also a patron for the Space For Music project, which helps renovate the Band on the Wall music venue. Mica is an Ambassador for The Amy Winehouse Foundation and has performed at their fundraising events. She has also been an ambassador for the Metropolitan Police's Operation Trident since 2001.

Awards and Honours

Mica Paris has received several awards for her work. In 2003, she was given the Gold Badge Award by the Ivors Academy. This award recognized her special contributions to the British entertainment industry.

In 2004, she was named one of the 100 Great Black Britons. This list celebrates the achievements of Black people in Britain throughout history. In 2020, Mica Paris was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This honour was given for her services to music, entertainment, and charity.

Personal Life

Mica Paris was born in Islington, London, and later moved to Brockley, South London. She has two daughters, Monet (born in 1991) and Russia-Mae (born in 2006).

Mica is good friends with the American singer Chaka Khan. Chaka Khan is also the godmother to Mica's oldest daughter. Mica Paris is the cousin of the famous boxer Chris Eubank.

Discography

• So Good (1988)
• Contribution (1990)
• Whisper a Prayer (1993)
• Black Angel (1998)
• If You Could Love Me (2005)
• Soul Classics (2005)
• Born Again (2009)
• Gospel (2020)

See also

• List of black Britons
• List of performers on Top of the Pops
• List of former Island Records artists
• List of stage names