Ms. Dynamite | |
|---|---|
 Ms. Dynamite in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley |
| Born | 26 April 1981 Crawley, West Sussex, England |
| Origin | Kentish Town, London, England |
| Genres |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | |
Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley MBE (born 26 April 1981), better known as Ms. Dynamite, is a British singer and rapper. She is the recipient of the Mercury Music Prize, two Brit Awards and three MOBO Awards.
She was born Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley in Crawley, West Sussex, and raised in Kentish Town, North London, to a Jamaican father and a Scottish mother. She is the older sister of the rapper Akala. [1] [2]
Ms. Dynamite (originally Lady Dynamite) was first known for her vocals on the UK garage underground track "Booo!", which was regularly played on London pirate radio stations and was later released as a single. While working at the radio station RAW FM, [3] Ms. Dynamite was discovered by Richard Forbes ("DJ Sticky") at a West End club. Interest grew from all major British labels and eventually she was signed via her management Bigga Beats to Polydor Records, where she met producer Salaam Remi, who cultivated her talent.
She released her debut album, A Little Deeper , in 2002, which featured hit songs "It Takes More" and "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee". In 2003, the album was released in the United States to critical acclaim.[ citation needed ] In 2002, Dynamite won the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, [4] for A Little Deeper. She donated the £20,000 prize to the NSPCC.
On 8 March 2003, Ms. Dynamite was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, hosted by Queen Latifah. [5]
Also in 2003, Ms. Dynamite signed a deal to promote Pepsi, reported to be worth £1m [6]
She performed at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games at the City of Manchester Stadium. [7] On 2 July 2005, she performed at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London. Among the songs performed was "Redemption Song" written by Bob Marley, which she performed alongside her brother, Akala. [8]
 | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification .(August 2017) |
On 11 September 2005, she returned to the limelight (having taken time off to have her son, Shavaar) with a new album titled Judgement Days . Featuring more social commentary, in songs such as the first double A-side single, "Judgement Day"/"Father" and the Tony Blair critique, "Mr Prime Minister," reviews of the album were not as favourable as those of her debut. However, "Judgement Day" reached No. 25 in the UK Singles Chart. [9]
In 2006, she was convicted of assaulting a police officer and was sentenced to 60 hours community service. [10]
After a break from music, Dynamite guest-hosted BBC Radio 1Xtra, and said she would be releasing a third album, Democracy, in 2009, with the first single from the new album being "Bad Gyal". [11] However, this was deferred as she concentrated on other projects and motherhood. Meanwhile, she appeared on Hell's Kitchen on ITV1 in 2009, [12] finishing fourth, and later as an expert adviser on Goldie's Band: By Royal Appointment on BBC Two. [13]
Since then, she has appeared on several collaborations, notably Katy B's second single, "Lights On", which peaked at number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 2010, and the Magnetic Man track "Fire", which appeared on their debut album.
A single, "Neva Soft" (produced by Labrinth), was released in 2011, although a promised associated album did not appear. [14] Since then she has been the featured vocalist on the DJ Fresh Versus Jay Fray track "Dibby Dibby Sound" (February 2013) and a David Guetta and Showtek song for the former's 2014 album Listen , "No Money No Love" along with Elliphant.
In 2020 Ms. Dynamite appeared on a CLIPZ (Redlight (musician)), single "Again" which also featured Ms Banks and JayKae.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(January 2014) |
Ms. Dynamite was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to music. [15]
| Year | Organisation | Award | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MTV Europe Music Awards | Best UK & Ireland Act | "Ms. Dynamite" | Nominated |
| Mercury Prize | Album of the year | "A Little Deeper" | Won | |
| MOBO Awards [16] | Best single | "It Takes More" | Won | |
| UK Act of the Year | Ms. Dynamite | Won | ||
| Best Newcomer | Ms. Dynamite | Won | ||
| 2003 | 100 Great Black Britons [17] | 100 Great Black Britons (rank 14) | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated |
| Brit Awards | British Urban Act | Ms. Dynamite | Won | |
| British Female Solo Artist | Ms. Dynamite | Won | ||
| British Breakthrough Act | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated | ||
| British Album of the Year | "A Little Deeper" | Nominated | ||
| MOBO Awards | Best Single | "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" | Nominated | |
| Best Newcomer | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated | ||
| UK Act of the year | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated | ||
| Race in Media Awards | Media Personality | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated | |
| Ivor Novello Awards [18] | Best Contemporary Song | "It Takes More" | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Brit Awards | British Urban Act | Ms. Dynamite | Nominated |
Dylan Kwabena Mills, known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is a British rapper and MC. He is often credited as a pioneer of British hip hop and grime music and was ranked by Complex as one of the greatest British rappers of all time. His work has also incorporated elements of UK garage, bassline and R&B. Dizzee Rascal's music is also often credited with bringing UK rap into the mainstream and became the country's first rapper to achieve international recognition.
The MOBO Awards are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in "music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and African music.
A Little Deeper is the debut studio album by English singer and rapper Ms. Dynamite. It was released on 10 June 2002 by Polydor Records. The album won the Mercury Prize in 2002. As of September 2011, it had sold 495,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
Night on My Side is the debut album by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes, first released by Source Records on 24 May 2002 in the Republic of Ireland, 27 May 2002 in the United Kingdom, and 10 July 2002 in Japan. The album's release in North America was delayed until 22 April 2003, where it was released by Astralwerks Records with a different track listing and album artwork.
Daniel Edward Stein, known professionally as DJ Fresh, is an English DJ and record producer. He is one of the principal members of the drum and bass group Bad Company, alongside Darren White (dBridge), Jason Maldini and Michael Wojcicki (Vegas). He also owns and runs the drum and bass label Breakbeat Kaos with Adam F.
Kingslee James McLean Daley, known professionally as Akala, is a British rapper, journalist, author, activist and poet from Kentish Town, London. In 2006, he was voted the Best Hip Hop Act at the MOBO Awards and has been included on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential Black British people in the UK, most recently making the 2021 edition.
"Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" is a song by British rapper Ms. Dynamite, released as the second single from her debut studio album, A Little Deeper (2002), on 26 August 2002. It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart that September, her highest position reached to date on the chart until "Lights On" with Katy B reached number four in 2010. The song also reached the top 40 in Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland.
Kristyna Myles is a MOBO nominated British singer-songwriter who is currently based in Manchester. Originally from Leicestershire, she came into prominence after winning Busk Idol, a 2005 nationwide singing competition organised by BBC Radio 5 Live. Since winning, she has featured on albums by Chris de Burgh and Rick Guard, and has performed on television programmes such as Songs of Praise, Wogan Now & Then and Play It Again. She also sang a duet with de Burgh on his European tour. In 2009, she was nominated for a MOBO award as part of gospel act DTWG : Desire To Worship God and most recently nominated for a MOBO for her own music in 2014.
Rachel Estelle Irene Prager, professionally known as Baby Blue, is a British rapper and singer from London, England. She is known for her work with singer Estelle and collaborations with John Legend, Madness, Sway, Shystie, Ms. Dynamite and Lady Sovereign. Baby Blue has a sound that fuses hip hop with grime, R&B and soul. In 2018, Prager-Riel became "Head of Music" at 7Wallace, Idris Elba's record label.
Kathleen Anne Brien, better known as Katy B, is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut studio album, On a Mission, in 2011, which spawned two top five hits, "Katy on a Mission" and "Lights On". In 2014 she released her second studio album, Little Red, which produced her third top five hit, "Crying for No Reason". Her third studio album, Honey, was released in 2016.
"Judgement Day" is Ms Dynamite's first single from her second album, Judgement Days. "Judgement Day" was released on 26 September 2005 as a double A-side single with "Father". It reached number 25 in the UK Singles Chart in 2005.
"Fall in Love Again" is Ms. Dynamite's second and final single from her second album, Judgement Days. It features a sample from When I Fall in Love by Ken Boothe.
Jessica Rosemary Frances Mills is an English singer/songwriter and musician, currently signed to Island Records, who has collaborated with many UK electronic music producers including Photek, Distance and Breakage.
"Father" is the first single taken from Ms. Dynamite's second studio album, Judgement Days. "Father" was released on 26 September 2005 as a double A-side single with "Judgement Day". The single became her fourth solo consecutive top 30 hit, reaching number 25 in the UK Singles Chart.
Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, better known by her stage name Little Simz, is an English rapper. She rose to prominence with the independent release of her first three albums: A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (2015), Stillness in Wonderland (2016) and Grey Area (2019), the last of which was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and won the awards for Best Album at both the Ivor Novello Awards and the NME Awards.
Simon Katz is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work with the band Jamiroquai from 1995 to 2000. Katz was a recipient of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocal for Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" in 1997, and the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection with Jamiroquai in 1999.
Laura Mvula is a British singer. A native of Birmingham, England, Mvula has gained experience as a young member or leader of a cappella, jazz/neo-soul and gospel groups and choirs. She was classically trained. In 2012, she signed with RCA Records and released an extended play, She, to critical acclaim.
"Dibby Dibby Sound" is a song by British record producer DJ Fresh and American record producer Jay Fay, featuring vocals from British singer Ms. Dynamite. It was released on 2 February 2014 as the second single from his forthcoming fourth studio album. The song was written by Dan Stein, The Invisible Men, Niomi McLean-Daley and Joshua Fagin. It premiered on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, who made it the week's Hottest Record in the World on 29 October 2013.
Joshua Fagin, better known by his stage name Jay Fay, is an American DJ and producer from St. Louis, Missouri. He released his debut EP Bonkers in February 2012. He is best known for featuring on DJ Fresh's 2014 single "Dibby Dibby Sound", a track which was initially based on Jay Fay's solo single "Dibby Dibby".
Steve Chrisanthou is a British songwriter, music producer, and recording engineer. He is a Grammy Award, Ivor Novello Award and Brit Award nominee, and a MOBO Award winner for co-writing the song "Put Your Records On" with John Beck and Corinne Bailey Rae. In 2008, Chrisanthou won a National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences award for his vocal engineering on River: The Joni Letters, a Grammy Award-winning album by Herbie Hancock.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
