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 50) 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 an R&B group called 4KaST.

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

Her first solo album, No Half Steppin' (2002), reached number 44 on the Billboard 200 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. Sharissa has also contributed to many music collections and appeared on other artists' albums.

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 Projects in the Bronx. Sharissa became interested in music when she was seven years old.

When she was about 13, she sang with friends and in her school cafeteria. Her mother's music collection, which included artists like Deniece Williams and Patti LaBelle, inspired her. Sharissa's father even called her "Little Stevie Wonder". She felt pressure to succeed and worked hard to overcome challenges.

Joining Music Groups

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

Their second song, "I Tried", was released on August 21, 1998. It reached number 46 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and stayed there for 12 weeks. To promote their album, 4Kast performed at a fundraiser at Madison Square Garden.

Singing Backup and Other Songs

In 1997, Sharissa released a solo song called "Keep It Simple". She also became a backing vocalist for many singers. These included Wyclef Jean, Beanie Sigel, Father MC, and Carl Thomas.

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

Her First Solo Album: No Half Steppin'

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.

Vibe magazine described the album's sound as "hip hop-influenced R&B". The songs 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 also reached number seven on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Sharissa performed songs from the album at a concert in Pittsburgh in June 2002. She also released a mixtape version of the album.

Popular Songs from No Half Steppin'

The music video for "Any Other Night" showed a woman feeling better after being ignored by her partner. This song reached number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also did well on other charts, including the Adult R&B Songs chart.

The album's title song, "No Half Steppin'", was also released as a single with a video. It reached number 78 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The third and final song released from the album was "I Can't Wait".

In 2002, Sharissa also sang on "You Say Keep It Gangsta" with Butch Cassidy and Wyclef Jean. This song was on Wyclef Jean's album, Masquerade. She also appeared in the 2002 television film, Play'd: A Hip Hop Story, playing a character named Yanesha.

Continued Music Career

On November 11, 2003, Sharissa's song "Take Me as I Am" was included in the movie Love Actually. This song also featured Wyclef Jean. A music video was made for the song. It reached number 96 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 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 to sing about things she had experienced.

One song from the album, "You Can Do Better", featured R&B singer Tank. It reached number 28 on the Adult R&B Songs chart. Before this album, Sharissa had released other songs like "Guess Who's Back" and "See If I Won't".

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

Sharissa's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Mixtape

Sharissa's Singles

As the Main Artist

As a Featured Artist and Other Appearances

Other Songs

Sharissa's Film and TV Appearances