Lamya

{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Lamya Al-Mugheiry | image = | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Lamya Hafidh Sultan Al-Mugheiry | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1963|10|30}} | birth_place = Mombasa, Kenya | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2009|01|08|1963|10|30}} | death_place = Oman | origin = | genre = {{hlist|R&B|pop|dance|neo soul|trip hop|rock}} | occupation = {{hlist|Singer-songwriter|producer}} | years_active = 1987–2009 | label = J Records | associated_acts = {{hlist|Duran Duran|Soul II Soul|DJ Vaughn Mason}} | website = [https://www.myspace.com/lamya1 Lamya's MySpace page] }}

'''Lamya Al-Mugheiry''' (30 October 1963 – 8 January 2009), better known as her mononym '''Lamya''', was a Kenyan-born English singer-songwriter and record producer. She rose to fame in the early 1990s as one of the lead singers of R&B group Soul II Soul, and later as a backing singer for Duran Duran. In 2002, she released her debut album ''Learning from Falling'', which spawned the number 1 Dance chart single "Empires (Bring Me Men)".<ref>{{cite book |title= Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=151}}</ref>

On 8 January 2009, she died from a sudden heart attack. She was recording on her second album ''Hiding in Plain Sight'', which was scheduled to be released later that year.<ref>Das, T.K (3 October 2008). ''Lone Bohemian''. The Week Magazine, Volume 200</ref>

==Early life== Lamya Hafidh Sultan Al-Mugheiry was born in Mombasa, Kenya to Omani parents.<ref name="billboardmag">{{cite book|publisher=Billboard|date=13 July 2002|title=J Records' Lamya Experiences 'Learning' Curve With Debut Album|volume=114|page=21}}</ref> Along with her parents, she lived in several cities around the world including Cairo and London. She was ultimately raised in Oman, then entered the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and later in Sheffield, United Kingdom.<ref name="freeliberary">{{cite web |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+NEXT+BIG+THING+WORLDLY+LAMYA+BRINGS+INTERNATIONAL%2c+OPERATIC...-a089897864 |title=The Next Big Thing Worldly Lamya Brings International, Operatic Flavor To Pop Music. – Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=28 April 2017 |archive-date=18 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518235200/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+NEXT+BIG+THING+WORLDLY+LAMYA+BRINGS+INTERNATIONAL%2c+OPERATIC...-a089897864 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her mother enrolled her in vocal lessons, training with a voice coach of the Metropolitan Opera.<ref name="freeliberary"/> At the age of sixteen, she ran away from home to New York City to pursue her musical career, after watching a Madonna interview.<ref name="billboardmag"/>

==Career== In 1989, she recorded the single "Break 4 Love" with DJ Vaughn Mason, originally by Raze. The single peaked at number 77 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1989. The song also garnered the attention of Soul II Soul's lead musician Jazzie B who asked her to join the group.<ref name="billboard">[http://www.billboard.com/artist/306418/lamya/biography Lamya > Biography]. ''Billboard''. Retrieved 29 March 2017</ref> In 1990, Lamya performed lead vocals on the songs "Love Come Through" and "In the Heat of the Night", which appeared on Soul II Soul's second album ''Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade''. Following the release of the album, she toured with the group throughout the year. One of their concerts at Brixton Academy was recorded live, titled ''A New Decade: Live from Brixton Academy'', and released in September 1990. Despite leaving the group at the end of 1990, she still maintained a close relationship with the members.

In 1993, she teamed up with Duran Duran and performed background vocals on the song "Love Voodoo" for their second self-titled album ''Duran Duran''. Lamya also joined them for their two-year ''Wedding Album'' tour, and related television appearances, including ''MTV Unplugged''. During each concert, she was given centre stage to finish her solo on the song "Come Undone".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/133021025/ |title=The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida on July 16, 1993 · Page 168 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=16 July 1993 |access-date=28 April 2017}}</ref> In 1994, Lamya contributed background vocals for Charlotte Kelly's single "Queen of Hearts", which was produced by friend and her former group Soul II Soul member Jazzie B.<ref name="billboard"/> In 1995, she contributed background vocals for Soul II Soul's album ''Volume V: Believe''. She also sang background vocals "White Lines", "I Wanna Take You Higher", and "Drive By" for Duran Duran's album ''Thank You''. Throughout the years, she also performed with David Bowie, Prince, and James Brown.<ref name="billboardmag"/> In 2001, Lamya contributed background vocals on fellow Soul II Soul colleague Kym Mazelle's song "I Wanna Go Dancing (Dance With Me)".

In July 2002, Lamya released her debut album, ''Learning from Falling'', which reached number 16 on ''Billboard'''s Top Heatseekers chart. She produced and composed the songs, using poems she had written since the age of eleven.<ref name="billboard"/> It included the singles "Empires (Bring Me Men)" and "Black Mona Lisa".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lamya/artist.jhtml |title=Lamya | Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates, Ringtones, and Lyrics | MTV |website=MTV |access-date=25 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423093514/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lamya/artist.jhtml |archive-date=23 April 2009 }}</ref> In its review of the album, ''Blender'' described her as "the Kenyan Björk".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blender.com/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070624030927/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=527|url-status=dead|title=Blender - All Things Blender, All In One Place|website=Blender.com|access-date=16 February 2021|archive-date=24 June 2007}}</ref> In 2003, she toured with Macy Gray, as the opening act.<ref name="ChartAttack 2003 with Macy Gray">{{cite web|last=Armitage|first=Mike|title=Live: Macy Gray with Lamya|url=http://www.chartattack.com/news/2003/03/21/live-macy-gray-with-lamya/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110120042/http://www.chartattack.com/news/2003/03/21/live-macy-gray-with-lamya/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=10 November 2013|work=ChartAttack|access-date=29 July 2012|date=21 March 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Macy Gray w/ Lamya @ Ogden Theatre on 3/09/03|url=http://www.nipp.com/show/detail/9436|publisher=nipp.com|access-date=29 July 2012|archive-date=10 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110115913/http://www.nipp.com/show/detail/9436|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was among the many singers scheduled to perform at Nelson Mandela's South African AIDS awareness concert before it was cancelled due to problems over broadcast rights and sponsorship.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/72621/production-issues-kill-mandelas-aids-benefit Production Issues Kill Mandela's AIDS Benefit]. ''Billboard''. Retrieved 29 March 2017</ref>

==Death== Lamya was scheduled to release her second album, ''Hiding in Plain Sight'' in 2009, but died of a sudden and unexpected heart attack on 8 January 2009, while in Oman. She was 45 years old.<ref>[http://www.duranduran.com/wordpress/?p=15210 Lamya Al-Mugheiry], Duran Duran Official Site news page</ref>{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

==Vocal style== Lamya was a classically trained soprano who had a five-octave vocal range with ability to reach the whistle register.<ref name="billboardmag"/><ref name="spinmagazine">{{cite book|publisher=SPIN Media LLC.|date=March 2002|title=Bands to Watch|volume=18|page=94}}</ref>

==Personal life== She was briefly in a relationship with Chic musician Nile Rodgers.<ref>{{cite book|author=Rodgers, N. |date=2011|title=Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny|publisher=Spiegel & Grau Publishing}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:2.75em;font-size:85%;" | US Heatseekers <ref name="Allmusic awards">{{cite web|title=Learning From Falling – Lamya : Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/learning-from-falling-mw0000221914/awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''Learning from Falling'' | * Released: 30 July 2002 * Label: J | 16 |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Year ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- ! style="width:3em;font-size:85%"| UK <ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/25580/razette-featuring-lamya/ Razette featuring Lamya > Chart History]. Official Charts. Retrieved 29 March 2017</ref> ! style="width:3em;font-size:85%"| US Dance <ref>[http://www.billboard.com/artist/306418/lamya/chart Lamya > Chart History]. ''Billboard''. Retrieved 29 March 2017</ref> |- ! scope="row" | "Ready 4 Love" (with Razette) | style="text-align:center;"|1989 | style="text-align:center;"| 77 | style="text-align:center;"| — |align="left" rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row" | "Survival" (with The Dawning) | style="text-align:center;"|1990 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |- ! scope="row" | "Empires (Bring Me Men)" | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2002 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| ''Learning from Falling'' |- ! scope="row" |"Black Mona Lisa" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamya}} Category:1963 births Category:2009 deaths Category:21st-century British women singers Category:21st-century Black British women singers Category:British contemporary R&B singers Category:English dance musicians Category:English rock musicians Category:English sopranos Category:Kenyan people of Omani descent Category:Kenyan emigrants to the United Kingdom Category:Neo soul singers Category:Musicians from Sheffield Category:Singers from London Category:Trip hop musicians Category:English women in electronic music Category:British people of Omani descent Category:Soul II Soul members