Dina Carroll
| Dina Carroll | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Geraldine Carroll |
| Also known as | Masquerade (1985) |
| Born |
21 August 1968 Newmarket, England, U.K. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1985-present |
Dina Carroll (born Geraldine Carroll, 21 August 1968) is an English singer of Scottish and African American heritage. She had a string of hits during the 1990s, including the UK top ten hits, "It's Too Late" (1991), "Don't Be a Stranger" (1993), "The Perfect Year", (1993), and "Escaping" (1996). Her first two albums, So Close (1993), and Only Human (1996), both reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and went platinum. She won Best British Female Solo Artist at the 1994 Brit Awards.
Carroll was born in Newmarket, England, and started singing at age of five, primarily at home with her sister. Despite the lack of formal vocal coaching, in 1981, at the age of thirteen, she won a local talent competition, with her rendition of Barbra Streisand's "Woman in Love". After leaving school, she worked in various jobs, including a one-day stint as a chambermaid in a Cambridge hotel in 1985.
At the age of sixteen, she was signed to the dance music record label Streetwave, located in London. Carroll moved to West London and recorded two singles, "Set It Off" and "One Nation", in the mid 1980s, credited to a non-existent group, Masquerade. After six unproductive months, she left Streetwave.
In 1989, Carroll secured a recording contract with Jive/Zomba and released a number of singles in 1989 and 1990. Of particular note was her cover of Dionne Warwick's classic "Walk On By", co-produced by The Pasadenas who also provided vocal arrangement and backing vocals. Although "Walk On By" did not make it to the UK Top 40 (peaking at number 95), it was a minor hit in continental Europe. Other solo hits during that era included "People All Around the World" and "Me Sienta Sola (We Are One)", the latter being an underground club hit in the New York scene. Carroll also provided vocals to Brothers in Rhythm's single "Peace and Harmony" in 1991.
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