Amber (performer)

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Amber

Background information
Birth name Marie-Claire Cremers
Born May 9, 1969 (1969-05-09) (age 39)
Origin Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands, and raised in Germany
Genre(s) Eurodance, Hi-NRG, House music, Dance-pop, Pop/Rock, Electronica, Urban, Adult Contemporary
Occupation(s) singer-songwriter, record producer
Years active 1990–present (singer)
Label(s) Tommy Boy Records (1994-2002), Rhino, Ada, Jmca Enterprises (2004-present)
Website Official website

Amber (born Marie-Claire Cremers on May 9, 1969, Ubbergen) is a Dutch-born and Germany-raised singer/songwriter, label owner and executive producer. Her biggest hits include "This Is Your Night," "One More Night," "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sexual (Li Da Di)," "Yes!" and "You Move Me."

Contents

[edit] Music

Amber's music in its original form can be accurately categorized as Eurodance, Hi-NRG, House music, Dance-pop, Pop/Rock, and Electronica mingled with some Urban contemporary slow jams and Adult Contemporary ballads. Amber's club mixes have run the gamut from House in its various styles to vocal Trance.

Amber is played extensively on Rhythmic format stations and the newly formed "Rhythmic AC" format which plays Disco, Hi-NRG, House, 1980s and 1990s mainstream Dance and Dance-pop hits and Quiet Storm, Adult Contemporary and Urban contemporary.

[edit] Releases

[edit] This Is Your Night

Amber's debut album This Is Your Night was released in late 1996, following the success of the single of the same name. Amber became the first Euro-NRG artist to be signed directly to a label as a solo artist. The album was a mainstream European hit, but did not fare as successfully in America where dance musicians' singles are usually far more commercially successful than their entire albums. The album featured mostly Hi-NRG, Eurodance and House music songs with a few romantically- or sensually-toned Urban contemporary ballads such as "Let It Rain," "Are You The One" and "Losing Myself In Your Love." Those songs also proved she was as capable of tackling ballads like any other pop artist. Still the album sold well on the album chart for club/dance music. Standout tracks include "Hold My Body Tight," "Being With You," "Can You Feel The Love," "This Is The Right Time" and "Push It to the Limit."

[edit] Tracklisting

  • "This Is Your Night"
  • "Move Your Body"
  • "Colour of Love"
  • "Are You The One"
  • "One More Night"
  • "Push It to the Limit"
  • "Being With You"
  • "Hold My Body Tight"
  • "Can You Feel The Love"
  • "Losing Myself in Your Love"
  • "Let It Rain"
  • "This Is The Right Time"
  • "This Is Your Night" (House Mix)
  • "Colour of Love" (House Mix)

[edit] Singles:

  • 1996 - This Is Your Night
Amber is best known for this, her 1996 debut single. It quickly became an international hit, crossing over from the rhythmic and club charts to the Billboard Hot 100 (peak #24) in America. It also charted at #40 in the Adult Top 40 radio. In Australia it peaked at #11. The song also appeared in the film A Night at the Roxbury.
  • 1997 - Colour of Love
The album's second single peaked at #74 in the pop charts in America, despite American club success and European success. In Australia it peaked at #58.
This song was originally a ballad on the This Is Your Night album but was given a dance beat by Hani. It became a pop hit in America, peaking at #58 on the Hot 100.

[edit] "If You Could Read My Mind" (single)

In 1998, Amber also teamed up with fellow international dance divas Jocelyn Enriquez and Ultra Nate to record a remake of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind" for the Studio 54 movie soundtrack, which was released under the group name Stars on 54. It became an American hit that summer.

[edit] Amber

Amber's second album, released in 1999 on Tommy Boy Records, featured an alluring array of soulful Dance-pop, Hi-NRG and House music song with a few Urban contemporary songs such as "Object of Desire." The song "Above the Clouds" was prominently featured on the final episode of Season Three of television series, "Sex and The City." So far, it is her most well-received album by the American Pop mainstream. This album allowed Amber to songwrite with top songwriters/producers Rick Nowels and Billy Steinberg on "Sexual (Li Da Di)," "Above the Clouds," and "Love One Another."

[edit] Tracklisting

  • "Above the Clouds"
  • "Love One Another"
  • "Spiritual Virginity"
  • "Object of Desire"
  • "Sexual (Li Da Di)
  • "Without You"
  • "I Found Myself In You"
  • "If I'm Not the One"
  • "Let's Do It for Love"
  • "Don't Wanna Stop"
  • "If You Could Read My Mind"
  • "How Can I Tell?"
  • "I'm Free"
  • "Sexual (Li Da Di)" (Remix)

[edit] Singles:

  • 1999 - Sexual (Li Da Di)
The first single from this album, became a pop hit, peaking at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached Number One on the American club charts. It peaked at #70 in Australia and at #34 in the UK.
  • 2000 - Above the Clouds
  • 2000 - Love One Another
Aside from "Sexual (Li Da Di)," the other singles did not become mainstream hits in America -- despite MTV2's airplay of the music video for "Love One Another." The singles also became number one club hits and dance format radio hits, dominating the dance scene along with "Sexual." They were also international Pop successes.

[edit] Remixed

In 2000, Amber released the album Remixed, which contained remixes of all her previous singles, including "If You Could Read My Mind." It also included a popular non-album track called "Taste The Tears."

[edit] Track listing

  • "Taste The Tears" (Thunderpuss Original Mix)
  • "Love One Another" (Pathos Original Mix)
  • "Sexual (Li Da Di)" (Deep Dish Cheez Wiz remix)
  • "Above The Clouds" (Eric Krupper Remix)
  • "If You Could Read My Mind" (Eric Krupper Remix)
  • "One More Night" (Hani Remix)
  • "This Is Your Night" (Mousse T Remix)
  • "If You Could Read My Mind" (Hex Hector Epic Piano Mix)
  • "This Is Your Night" (Junior Vasquez Sunday Night Bump Extended Mix)
  • "Above The Clouds" (Thunderpuss Remix)
  • "Taste The Tears" (Thunderpuss Remix)
  • "Love One Another" (Mystic Remix)
  • "Sexual (Li Da Di)" (Plasma Trance Mix)

[edit] Naked

Amber's third album was released in early 2002 and displayed a more stripped-down Amber. It was her first album not produced mainly by the Berman Brothers. Musically, Amber continued the path she had started with its predecessor: she continued to write more of her own lyrics and attempted even more of a departure from her original Eurodance sound. This album would be considered more of a Dance-pop album with a few Adult Contemporary songs and some House music songs on it. However, it still features her trademark Eurodance and Hi-NRG styled songs. Standout tracks include "Sex Without Sex," "Heavenly Proximity," "Sex and The City," "The Smile of My Child," and "Sexual (Li Da Di) (Afterlife Chillout Remix)."

[edit] Tracklisting

  • "Yes!"
  • "The Need To Be Naked"
  • "Anyway (Men Are from Mars)"
  • "You're Sent from Heaven"
  • "Dirty Thoughts"
  • "He"
  • "Sex Without Sex"
  • "Love on You"
  • "If There Would Be No Tomorrow"
  • "Heavenly Proximity"
  • "Sex and The City"
  • "Don't Say Goodbye"
  • "Sexual (Li Da Di)" [Afterlife Chillout Remix]
  • "The Smile of My Child"
  • "The Need To Be Naked" (Thunderpuss Club Mix)

[edit] Singles:

The first single from this album, was a perfect example of the newer, deeper direction Amber was taking in her work. "Yes" borrowed its chorus from the final few lines of James Joyce's controversial novel Ulysses. For a lead Amber single, it received a luke-warm response from American radio. However, it became a #1 smash hit in the American dance clubs- her sixth consecutive #1 on that chart. (Amber has subsequently commented that the difficulties obtaining airplay display a double standard, in that many sexually explicit songs by men obtain airplay, but radio stations are uncomfortable with a song by a woman expressing her sexual desire that explicitly used the word "breasts").
  • 2002 - The Need To Be Naked
This became Amber's seventh consecutive number one in the American club charts and again received high rotation airplay on the Dance format but received little American pop radio airplay.
  • 2002 - Anyway (Men Are From Mars)
This was a hit on the American club charts and Dance format radio but also received even less American radio airplay than her two previous singles. This was the most viable single for the mainstream pop charts.

[edit] My Kind of World

In late 2004, Amber released her fourth studio album, "My Kind of World." This was her first release on her own label, JMCA Enterprises, as well as her first album to stylistically break free of her dance classification (although the album's singles have been released on CD-Single with several dance remixes). Its first single, "You Move Me," was released to radio and nightclubs in late August.

[edit] Tracklisting

  • "Crucified Solitude"
  • "You Move Me"
  • "Voodoo"
  • "Same Old Paradise"
  • "Sacrificial Lamb"
  • "Private War"
  • "When a Love Grows Cold"
  • "Just Like That (Romeo and Juliet)"
  • "City of Pain"
  • "Your Kind of World"
  • "More Time for a Child"
  • "Don't Follow Me Home"

[edit] Singles:

  • 2004 - You Move Me

It swiftly climbed the dance and club charts following its release, though it has received no mainstream radio support. "You Move Me" achieved a #4 peak on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in September. The song did make other music consumers outside her fan base take notice of her as an artist. The standout mix of "You Move Me" are the "Summer Vienna Mix" and the "Hi-NRG Mix."

The Maxi Single release "Voodoo" in June 2005. It peaked at #13 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play. It also peaked in the Top 10 or at #1 on several radio stations. The CD-single became so high in demand that it went out of stock on amazon.com about three times after its release. The most popular mixes of "Voodoo" with disco jockeys and fans alike are the "Sweet Rains Radio Edit", "Zen Club Mix" and the "Ugly Doll Club Mix."

  • 2005 - Just Like That

The third and final single lifted from "My Kind of World", "Just Like That", is as of February 2006 a Top Ten Dance Format Radio hit in America. It even peaked at #1 on several radio stations. It gained the most airplay of the three singles. Amber's bold move to explore her interest in Pop/Rock music did what it was meant to go. She gained hundreds of new fans,[citation needed] many of whom were either unfamiliar with her club-edged Dance-Pop hits or were not into the sound of music presented on her other albums."Just Like That" peaked at #6 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Standout mixes of "Just Like That" are the "Jason Nevins Radio Remi", "Jason Nevins Club Mix", "Sweet Rain Main Radio Remix", and the "Wolfram Dettki Birthday Girl Ballad" mix. This mix is intended for Soft AC radio airplay.

[edit] 2006 and beyond

Amber's new single "Melt With the Sun" features mixes by a stellar list of producers including Tracy Young and Hex Hector among others. "Melt With the Sun" charted in January 2007. It has hit the Top 10 or #1 on several Rhythmic/Dance format radio stations. Amber is also working on her fifth album. Undanced II is out now with 12 digital downloads or the physical CD with 17 unreleased tracks/remixes plus the "Melt With the Sun" extended video. The album is available for purchase now from Amber's official website. Amber rocks!

[edit] Albums

[edit] Singles

  • 1996 "This Is Your Night"
  • 1997 "Colour Of Love"
  • 1998 "One More Night"
  • 1999 "If You Could Read My Mind" feat. Ultra Nate and Jocelyn Enriquez
  • 2000 "Sexual (Li Da Di)"
  • 2000 "Love One Another"
  • 2000 "Above The Clouds"
  • 2001 "Yes!"
  • 2002 "The Need To Be Naked"
  • 2003 "Anyway (Men Are From Mars)"
  • 2004 "You Move Me"
  • 2005 "Voodoo"
  • 2006 "Just Like That"
  • 2007 "Melt With the Sun"
  • 2008 "This Is Your Night 2008"

[edit] External links

[edit] See also