Sharissa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sharissa
Sharissa in 2005
Background information
Birth name	Sharissa Dawes
Born	(1975-08-21) August 21, 1975 (age 49) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	R&B, hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Labels	Motown, Virgin
Associated acts	Wyclef Jean, Tank, Carl Thomas, The Game, R.Kelly

Sharissa Dawes (born August 21, 1975) is an American singer. She was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and grew up in the Bronx. Sharissa started her music journey in the R&B group 4KaST.

4KaST released their first album, Any Weather, in 1998. They promoted it with songs like "Miss My Lovin'" and "I Tried". After leaving the group, Sharissa sang backup for other artists. Later, she signed with Henchman/Motown Records to start her solo career.

Her first solo album, No Half Steppin' (2002), reached number 44 on the Billboard 200 music chart. Many of its songs also appeared on other Billboard charts. Sharissa's music was also featured in the 2003 movie Love Actually. Her second solo album, Every Beat of My Heart (2005), was released only in Japan. She has also appeared on other artists' albums and music collections.

Sharissa's Early Life and Music Start

Sharissa Dawes was born on August 21, 1975, in Brooklyn, New York City. She is the oldest of three children. She grew up in the Edenwald public housing area in the Bronx.

Sharissa became interested in music when she was seven years old. Around age 13, she sang with friends in her neighborhood and at her school cafeteria. Her mother's music collection, which included artists like Deniece Williams and Patti LaBelle, inspired her. Sharissa's father even nicknamed her "Little Stevie Wonder".

As a teenager, Sharissa joined a group called Triple Dose. In 1995, she became part of the R&B group 4Kast. 4Kast released their first album, Any Weather, on October 13, 1998, with RCA Records. The first song from the album was "Miss My Lovin'", which featured Mic Geronimo.

Their second song, "I Tried", came out on August 21, 1998. It reached number 46 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart and stayed there for 12 weeks. To promote their album, the group performed at a fundraiser at Madison Square Garden.

Sharissa also contributed a song called "Bring Out The Freak" to a 1996 music collection called The Ultimate Mix. The next year, she released her own song, "Keep It Simple". Sharissa also worked as a backing vocalist for many singers, including Wyclef Jean and Carl Thomas.

In 2001, three of her songs appeared on the album Bullet Proof Love, Vol. 1. These songs were "Money Ain't Gonna Change Us", "Gone 2 Long", and "I Can't Wait". That same year, Sharissa was featured on Carl Thomas' song "Cold, Cold Wind".

Her First Solo Album: No Half Steppin'

Music producer Jimmy Henchman discovered Sharissa in November 2002. Her first solo album, No Half Steppin', was released on February 26, 2002. It was released through Henchmen and Motown records.

Ayana Byrd from Vibe magazine described the album's sound as "hip hop-influenced R&B". The songs on the album were about love, heartbreak, and being independent. Music critics compared Sharissa's style to other famous singers like Mary J. Blige and Aaliyah.

The album received mostly good reviews. It reached number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart on March 16, 2002. It stayed on that chart for 10 weeks. It also reached number seven on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Billboard chart. Sharissa performed songs from the album at a concert in Pittsburgh in June 2002. She also released a mixtape version of the album.

The music video for her song "Any Other Night" told the story of a woman feeling better after her partner neglected her. This song reached number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also did well on other Billboard charts, including the Adult R&B Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The album's title song, "No Half Steppin'", was also released as a single with a video. The third and final song released from the album was "I Can't Wait".

In 2002, Sharissa was featured on the song "You Say Keep It Gangsta" with Butch Cassidy and Wyclef Jean. She also appeared in the 2002 TV movie Play'd: A Hip Hop Story, playing the character Yanesha.

Every Beat of My Heart and More Music

On November 11, 2003, Sharissa contributed the song "Take Me as I Am" to the movie soundtrack for the romantic comedy Love Actually. This song also featured Wyclef Jean. A music video was released for the song. It reached number 96 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart. Sharissa attended the movie's premiere in New York City.

Her second album, Every Beat of My Heart, was released in Japan on October 25, 2005. Sharissa helped write all the songs on this album. She said it was important for her to sing about things she had experienced. The album included collaborations with artists like R. Kelly and Millie Jackson.

Songs released from this album included "I'm In Love With a Thug", featuring R. Kelly, and "I Got Love". Another song, "You Can Do Better", featured R&B singer Tank. This song reached number 28 on the Adult R&B Songs Billboard chart. Before Every Beat of My Heart, Sharissa had released other songs like "Guess Who's Back" and "I'm Heat". "I'm Heat" featured verses by The Game, and "Drop on Me" included verses by The Notorious B.I.G..

In 2005, Sharissa created her own fashion line called MaDame Bluez & Co. She also took part in a reality competition show called Survive This!. In 2006, she performed at an event in Decatur, Illinois, to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Her song "Further" was included on the album Dear Summer, Vol. 1 in 2007. In 2011, she released the song "All or Nuth'n".

Discography

Studio Albums

Mixtape

Songs as Lead Artist

Songs as Featured Artist and Other Appearances

Other Songs

Filmography