Victoria Wilson James (The Glamzon) - From Soul 2 Soul Onwards ...
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The Glamazon
Victoria Wilson-James is an American-born British singer, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, she performed in various theatre plays and musicals as a teenager. Following the release of her debut single "I Want You in My Movie", she was recruited by Jazzie B to join a newly reformed line-up of R&B group Soul II Soul. Managed by her bandmate, Jazzie B, the group became one of London's best-selling groups of all time. Their second album, Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade (1990), which achieved gold-status in the US and UK,[1][2] featured the top-charting single "A Dream's a Dream" with Wilson-James on lead vocals.[3]
Following her exit from the group at the end of 1990, she released her debut solo album, Perseverance (1991), which contained hits "Through" and "Bright Lights".[4] In 1993, she joined the Shamen and continued performing and recording with them until their disbandment in 1999. In 1997, she released her second album Colorfields, which featured one of her signature hits "Reach 4 the Melody". Wilson-James has also appeared in various theatre musicals including The Wiz (2001), Purlie (2004), and Lush Life (2005). She formed a duo called Avitas and released an album titled A Course in Miracles in September 2005.
In June 2012, Soul II Soul received the honorary Heritage Award from Performing Right Society, which Wilson-James also received despite not being able to attend.[5] In March 2013, she released her third album titled The Rapture.
In 1988, she released her first single "I Want You in My Movie" on Risin' Records. In 1990, Jazzie B recruited Wilson-James to join British music group Soul II Soul after the departure of their previous members Rose Windross, Doreen Waddell, and Caron Wheeler. In May 1990, Soul II Soul released the second single "A Dream's a Dream", which featured Wilson-James on lead vocals; from their album Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade. The song peaked in the top-ten of the UK Singles Chart.[6] In the same month, Soul II Soul released their second album Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade, which peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart.[6] The album also became certified gold-status in the United Kingdom. Wilson-James also toured with the group in the summer of 1990. One of their concerts was recorded at Brixton Academy and released in September 1990 titled A New Decade: Live from Brixton Academy. Following the conclusion of the tour, she left to pursue a solo career.
In late 1980, she began recording her first album, which would be produced by fellow Soul II Soul member Jazzie B and composer and musical director Michael J McEvoy. On March 26, 1991, she released her first album Perseverance, which peaked at number 55 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.[4] In March 1991, the album's lead single "Through" was released and peaked at number 22 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[4] She also promoted the album by performing on various musical variety shows including The Party Machine with Nia Peeples, Soul Train, The Word, and Video Soul. In July 1991, she released the second single "Bright Lights", which peaked at number 83 on the R&B Songs chart.[4] The album's final single "One World" was released in late 1991.
In June 2013, she released her third album The Rapture. The album spawned the singles "Never Stop", "Deep in Vogue", "Say It Ain't So", and "Red Lipstick". In November 2016, Wilson-James began her one-woman show tour called "Perseverance".[20]
In November 2017, Wilson-James released a single titled "Pray".[21] The song is part of "P.R.A.Y. (Project Resonance Ascension Yantra)" and was released as a free download on her SoundCloud page.[21][22]
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