Shara Nelson facts for kids

Shara Nelson is a talented English singer and songwriter, born in 1965. She became well-known for her work with the music group Massive Attack in the early 1990s. As a solo artist, she had five songs that reached the top 40 in the UK music charts. Her first solo album, What Silence Knows, was even nominated for a special music award called the Mercury Music Prize in 1994.

Her Musical Journey

Starting Out in Music

Shara Nelson began her music career in 1983 with a song called "Aiming at Your Heart." She released a few more solo songs in the 1980s. Later in the 1980s, she started working with a group of DJs and producers from Bristol called The Wild Bunch. This group eventually led to the formation of the famous band Massive Attack.

Working with Massive Attack

Nelson's first song with Massive Attack was "Daydreaming" in 1990. She not only sang on their songs but also helped write them. One of their most famous songs together was "Unfinished Sympathy" from their first album, Blue Lines, released in 1991. This song reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and is still highly praised by music critics. Many people consider it one of the most emotional dance music tracks ever made.

Shara Nelson co-wrote and sang on four songs on the Blue Lines album. Another hit song she worked on was "Safe From Harm", which reached number 25 in the UK. She also recorded a song called "Just A Matter of Time" for a short film by Massive Attack.

Solo Success in the 1990s

In July 1993, Shara Nelson restarted her solo career. Her song "Down That Road" was a big hit, reaching number 19 in the UK. Her first solo album, What Silence Knows, came out in September 1993. It reached number 22 on the UK album chart and sold over 100,000 copies, earning a Gold certification. Nelson helped write all the songs on this album. Other popular songs from the album included "One Goodbye in Ten" (UK No. 21), "Uptight" (UK No. 19), and "Inside Out" (UK No. 34).

Her album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 1994. That same year, Nelson was also nominated for "Best British Female Solo Artist" and "Best British Breakthrough Act" at the Brit Awards.

Nelson's second album, Friendly Fire, was released in 1995. It featured the hit song "Rough with the Smooth", which reached number 30 in the UK. While this album was not as successful as her first, it still reached number 44 in the UK. She was nominated again for "Best British Female Solo Artist" at the 1996 BRIT Awards.

In 1997, Nelson sang the song "Moonraker" for an album called Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project. This song was originally sung by Shirley Bassey. In 1998, she worked with Charles Webster on the song "Sense of Danger." She also collaborated with other artists like Air Cuba and Kasha.

Collaborations in the 2000s and 2010s

In the 2000s, Shara Nelson continued to collaborate with various artists. In 2003, she worked with Adrian Sherwood, who founded On-U Sound Records, the label that released her very first record. She also released her first solo single since 1996, called "Nobody Else," in 2004. Other collaborations included "Go That Deep" with NUfrequency in 2007 and "I Wanna Know" with Doug Wimbish in 2008.

In 2012, a new version of Massive Attack's Blue Lines album was released, featuring Nelson on four songs. In September 2012, Nelson performed live for the first time in many years. She sang her hit "Unfinished Sympathy" at a concert to support Cool Earth.

In 2013, Nelson contributed vocals to "Badger Swagger" by The Artful Badger. This song supported the "Stop The Cull" petition. In 2014, she released a new single called "Promised" with NUfrequency. She also joined "The Peace Collective" to sing on the charity single "All Together Now."

Nelson, along with Britton and John Power, wrote and recorded the song "Looking" for the film Anti-Social. She released a solo version of this song in 2018.

Recent Work in the 2020s

In October 2020, Shara Nelson was the main singer on Charles Webster's single "This Is Real." They had worked together before on other projects. Remixes of "This Is Real" were released in 2022 and 2023.

Awards and Recognition

Shara Nelson has been recognized for her musical talents:

• 1994: Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for Best Album (What Silence Knows).
• 1994: Nominated for two BRIT Awards: "Best British Female Solo Artist" and "Best British Breakthrough Act."
• 1996: Nominated for a BRIT Award again for "Best British Female Solo Artist."

Discography

Shara Nelson has released several albums and many collaborations:

Studio albums

• 1991: Blue Lines (with Massive Attack)
• 1993: What Silence Knows (UK No. 22)
• 1995: Friendly Fire (UK No. 44)
• 1999: All Systems Gone (with Charles Webster's Presence)

Selected Collaborations and Singles

• 1983: "Aiming at Your Heart" (with The Circuit)
• 1991: "Safe from Harm", "Unfinished Sympathy", "Lately", "Daydreaming" (with Massive Attack)
• 1993: "Down That Road" (solo single)
• 1993: "One Goodbye in Ten" (solo single)
• 1993: "Uptight" (solo single)
• 1993: "Inside Out" (solo single)
• 1995: "Rough with the Smooth" (solo single)
• 1998: "Moonraker" (with David Arnold)
• 1999: "Sense of Danger" (with Presence)
• 2004: "Nobody Else" (solo single)
• 2008: "Go That Deep" (with NUfrequency)
• 2014: "Promised" (with NUfrequency)
• 2014: "All Together Now" (with The Peace Collective)
• 2015: "Looking" (from the film "Anti-Social" OST)
• 2018: "Looking (Meghan Markle's Theme)" (solo single)
• 2020: "This Is Real" (with Charles Webster)

See also

In Spanish: Shara Nelson para niños