Phyllis Hyman was an American singer who began her artistic career in the Clubs before being spotted in 1975 by Norman Connors. Which was looking for a singer for his album in preparation "You are my starship".
This is how she participated in the recording of the track "We both need each other" in the company of said Norman as well as Michael Henderson. The track is a great success and allows the singer to emerge from the shadows for the first time. We are then in 1976.
Always with the same Norman, it is the title "Betcha by Golly wow" which leaves one year later in 1977. With the key, a success equivalent to its predecessor.
Her first solo album was released the same year. Simply bearing the singer's name, the album does well in the Charts but nothing more. An album carried mainly by the Single "Loving you - losing you".
New album "Somewhere in my lifetime" in 1979. The album does better than its predecessor in terms of charts. A big year 1979 with the release of a second album in the wake of "You know how to love me". An encore repetita that will prove to be much more effective in terms of sales. The album was a hit and went to produce the biggest hit of the singer's entire discography with the Single that bears the album's name. The latter is a real planetary success and finally positions the singer at a level more suited to her real potential.
Not much to eat in 1980. Except that the singer is increasingly addicted to cocaine and it's gone to last. We find her in 1981 with the album "Can’t we fall in love again", album which confirms the status of sure value of the moment of the singer.
The album is a success but struggles to produce a global mega-hit. "Tonight you and me" will be the flagship Single. In parallel with her solo career, she will play in the musical Sophisticated Ladies for 2 years. And also play luxury backing vocals for bands like 'The Whsipers' and 'The Four Tops', just that !
New album "Goddess of love" in 1983, album with average success. Album which will mainly produce the hit "Riding the tiger". The same year, she performed the title "Never say never again" for the soundtrack of a James Bond. Title which will be withdrawn for contesting copyright following a complaint from a certain…Michel Legrand.
Big air hole for 3 years and back in 1986 with the album "Living all alone", her one and only album classified not only in the USA but also across the Channel. And while the album is a worldwide hit, it doesn't produce any major hits again.
Then nothing for 5 years. A new album called "Prime of my life" was released in 1991. Album which produced its last major hit with the title "Don’t wanna change the world". More albums will be released afterwards but none will be able to compete with the competition.
In the end, a major career that will unfortunately end definitively on June 30, 1995. When the singer decides at the age of 45 to end her life by overdosing in the bedroom of her New York apartment.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
Leavin’ the good life behind 1975
Betcha by Golly Wow 1977
Loving you – losing you 1977
Somewhere in my lifetime 1978
Kiss you all over 1979
You know how to love me 1979
80s Decade :
Under your spell 1980
Can’t we fall in love again 1981
Tonight you and me 1981
You sure look good to me 1982
Riding the tiger 1983
Why did you turn me on 1983
Old friend 1986
Living all alone 1986
Ain’t you had enough love 1987
Screaming at the moon 1987
90s Decade :
Sacred kind of love 1990
Don’t wanna change the world 1991
Living in a confusion 1991
When you get right down to it 1992
I refuse to be lonely 1995
Funny how love goes 1998
Clips :
1975 ... 100 % Dance debut which allows the artist to obtain a first ranked hit. Admittedly, success is limited for the moment to the United States but this is only the beginning ...
1977 ... we find her two years later very smoothly on an Intimist track of certain quality. She already displays a beautiful versatility which augurs the best for the future ...
1977 ... the rise in power is linear and allows the singer to quietly pass the stages of success
1978 ... another beautiful foray into the Intimist domain. An area in which she feels particularly comfortable at first sight ...
1979 ... the end of the decade which is more combined in Dance mode. It's hard to ignore the Disco wave that ravages everything in its path in 1979 !
1979 ... a Dance mode which is particularly successful for her as she signs here her first big global success and one of the biggest dance hits of the decade, just that. HU-GE !
1980 ... a transition between the two decades which is also done in Dance mode. Unfortunately, this title will not have the same level of success as its predecessor ...
1981 ... a shocking but above all charming duo for this new title. An association that works very well, my faith !
1981 ... a quality Disco sound that is starting to date. It's time for the singer to evolve and stick a little more to the times ...
1982 ... surprisingly with her, even years go hand in hand with low production. But that does not mean low quality, on the contrary. The proof with this title !
1983 ... this time, the sound fits perfectly with the times. And the result was not long in coming : massive global success !
1983 ... a beautiful year 1983 with 2 very high caliber titles, certainly in very different registers, but the result is once again up to the task !
1986 ... a small air gap of 3 years followed by a comeback in this year 1986 with this Intimist title of all beauty and which literally floats in the air. MA-GIC !
1986 ... a year 1986 which invariably rhymes with tenderness and gentleness. And it works, given the success recorded by the titles released that year !
1987 ... it may not be his biggest hit but this title has a crazy energy and works with godly fire. All good !
1987 ... she alternates with incredible ease Dance hit and Intimist hit. A rare versatility and only present with the best !
1990 ... new 3 years air gap, it's becoming a habit with her. However, this time, she does not come back alone !
1991 ... an astonishing metamorphosis with a Phyllis Hyman who begins to stick to the new sounds of the moment. She will have crossed the decade 70, then 80 and here she is attacking without complex the decade 90. A longevity reserved only for the greatest !
1991 ... we find her once again in Intimist mode, an area that will undoubtedly remain one of her favorites. And the least we can say is that she excels at it !
1992 ... halfway between Intimist and Dance, here is a round title which allows her to play the glamor card to the full. And once again, it works !
1995 ... a 90s decade almost exclusively devoted to Intimist mode. As it becomes very difficult to compete with ultra young and ultra motivated competition, she prefers to stay in a niche that she masters to perfection and in which she has always excelled. A year 1995 which will unfortunately be the last for the singer, both literally and figuratively ...
1998 ... a posthumous title which once again shows the full extent of her talent in the 'With emotions' register. One more...
Wiki :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :