Jonathan Hellyer | |
|---|---|
 Hellyer in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jonathan Paul Hellyer |
| Born | 27 September 1967 England |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, director and drag actor |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Finger snapping and dancing |
Jonathan Paul Hellyer (born 27 September 1967) is an English singer, theatre director and drag actor. He is best known for his time as the lead singer of Bronski Beat and collaborations with Wayne G.
Hellyer was born on 27 September 1967 and began his career as a drag queen and playing roles in theatrical productions in the 1980s.
Hellyer joined the band, Bronski Beat following the departure of John Jon Foster and toured the U.S. and Europe with back-up vocalist Annie Conway, primarily touring nightclubs and LGBTQ festivals/events. They released the album, One More Chance and covered the songs, "I Love the Nightlife" by Alicia Bridges and "I'm Gonna Run Away from You" by Tami Lynn.
In 1989, Bronski Beat wrote and collaborated with American-singer Eartha Kitt, on the song "Cha Cha Heels" which was written for Divine but following her death, Bronski Beat and Kitt performed the song with Hellyer on backing vocals. Despite making it to the charts, it was only a minor hit reaching #34 on the charts. [1] The song was Hellyer's only big hit throughout his career.
Hellyer recorded additional material with Bronski Beat for the next few years and performed at events around Europe and America. [2] [3] [4]
After working with Eartha Kitt, Hellyer and Bronski Beat continued to collaborate until 1994. [5] [6] [7] Hellyer provided the lead and backing vocals on the album Rainbow Nation which was a collection of both old and new songs. The songs that Hellyer provided lead vocals on included covers of "Hit That Perfect Beat" and "Why" from the Age of Consent album and the songs including "Kickin' up the Rain", "No Difference" and "Tell Me Your Name". [8] Hellyer recorded a few more minor songs before departing the band in 1994.
Following Hellyer's departure in 1994, John Jon Foster was brought back briefly as the lead singer of Bronski Beat but ultimately dropped out in 1995 and was once more replaced by Hellyer but not long after, Steve Bronski decided to fold the band overall following the lack of success with newer material.
Hellyer has performed and composed with artists including Trish O'Brien and the KBL Band. [9] [10] Hellyer appeared in productions of the Dame Edna Experience [11] based on the television show. [12] [13] Hellyer has worked with Australian DJ Wayne G. [14] [15]
Additionally, Hellyer has also performed in a variety of shows around London since 2013, mostly doing live performances or drag shows while also singing cover songs and his own. [16] [17]
Hellyer has a keening, falsetto like Jimmy Somerville, can hold notes and has a strong vocal range when singing. [18] In an interview, Steve Bronski praised Hellyer's vocal style and said that he "was a perfect imitator. He could imitate Jimmy, he could imitate Jon Jon. He could intimidate you." [19] Hellyer has been praised for his work in the drag show industry. [20] [21]
Hellyer is openly gay and produces, directs and stars in drag shows and songs with lesser-known artists/bands. [22] [23]
Source: [24]
Bronski Beat were a British synth-pop band formed in 1983 in London, England. The initial lineup, which recorded the majority of their hits, consisted of Scottish musicians Jimmy Somerville (vocals) and Steve Bronski and English musician Larry Steinbachek. Simon Davolls contributed backing vocals to many songs.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood were an English pop band that formed in Liverpool in 1980. They comprised Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford, Mark O'Toole (bass), Brian Nash (guitar) and Peter Gill (drums). They were among the first openly gay pop acts and made gay rights and sexuality a theme of their music and performances.
James William Somerville is a Scottish singer who rose to prominence in the 1980s with the synth-pop groups Bronski Beat and the Communards. With Bronski Beat, Somerville achieved commercial success with the 1984 single "Smalltown Boy" which reached the top spot in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and the US Hot Dance Club Play. Additionally, it reached the top five in the United Kingdom, West Germany, Ireland and New Zealand as well as charting within the US Billboard Hot 100. Bronski Beat's debut album The Age of Consent (1984) was the only release Somerville contributed to as lead vocalist before leaving the band in 1985 and joined The Communards.
The Communards were a British synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985. They consisted of Scottish singer Jimmy Somerville and English musician Richard Coles. They are best known for their versions of "Don't Leave Me This Way", originally by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, and of the Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye".
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer and actress. She was known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby".
"C'est si bon" is a French popular song composed in 1947 by Henri Betti with the lyrics by André Hornez. The English lyrics were written in 1949 by Jerry Seelen. The song has been adapted in several languages.
"Catch the Wind" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. Pye Records released "Catch the Wind" backed with "Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do?" as Donovan's debut release in the United Kingdom on 28 February 1965. The single reached No. 4 in the United Kingdom singles chart. Hickory Records released the single in the United States in April 1965, where it reached No. 23 in the United States Billboard Hot 100.
"Smalltown Boy" is the debut single by the British synth-pop band Bronski Beat, released in May 1984 by London Recordings. It was included on their debut album, The Age of Consent (1984). The lyrics describe a young man who decides to leave home because "the love that you need will never be found" there; the story in the song's music video is that he makes this decision after being gaybashed. "Smalltown Boy" is regarded as a gay anthem and is associated with the rise of British gay culture in the 1980s. The music video was directed by Bernard Rose and filmed in East London. In 2022, Rolling Stone named it the 163rd-greatest dance song.
"Santa Baby" is a song performed by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra and originally released in 1953. The song was written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, who also used the pseudonym Tony Springer in an attempt to speed up the song's publishing process. Lyrically, the song is a tongue-in-cheek look at a Christmas list addressed to Santa Claus by a woman who wants extravagant gifts such as sables, yachts, and decorations from Tiffany, which become increasingly laced with innuendo and the implication that the woman is infatuated with Santa.
The Age of Consent is the debut album by British synth-pop band Bronski Beat, released on London Records in October 1984. This was the only album released by Bronski Beat to feature Somerville, who departed the band in 1985.
"It Ain't Necessarily So" is a popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by his brother Ira Gershwin. The song comes from the Gershwins' opera Porgy and Bess (1935) where it is sung by the character Sportin' Life, a drug dealer, who expresses his doubt about several statements in the Bible. The song's melody also functions as a theme for Sportin' Life's character.
"Wear Your Love Like Heaven" is a song and US single by British singer-songwriter Donovan, released in 1967. It became the opening track of his 1967 double-disc album A Gift from a Flower to a Garden. It peaked at No. 23 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Warren Covington was an American big band trombonist. He was active as a session musician, arranger, and bandleader throughout his career.
This article contains the discography of American singer Eartha Kitt.
The Very Best Of is a compilation album covering Scottish pop singer Jimmy Somerville's career in Bronski Beat, The Communards and as a solo artist. It was released in 2001 and reached number 29 in the UK Albums Chart.
That Bad Eartha is a twelve-song reconfiguration of material from American singer Eartha Kitt's first two eight-song, 10-inch albums issued by RCA Victor. It contains all eight songs from the 1953 album RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt. It repurposes the cover image and title, and four of the songs from Eartha's 1954 second 10-inch album, That Bad Eartha . In this way, it could be considered an expansion of the first short-length album, supplementing it with packaging and selected songs from the second.
Larry Steinbachek was an English-singer songwriter, director and composer best known for his time as part of Bronski Beat with Jimmy Somerville and Steve Bronski.
The Singles Collection 1984/1990 is a compilation album covering Scottish pop singer Jimmy Somerville's career in the bands Bronski Beat, The Communards and as a solo artist. It was released in 1990. In Italy, the album was marketed under the alternate title, 1984/1990 Greatest Hits.
Back in Business is the sixteenth and final studio album by American singer Eartha Kitt, released on November 23, 1994 by DRG Records. At the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996, the album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.
"Cha Cha Heels" is a pop song recorded by Bronski Beat and Eartha Kitt, released in June 1989 from her album I'm Still Here as a tribute to drag actor and singer Divine.