Brenda K. Starr
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Brenda K. Starr (born Brenda Kaplan on October 15 1966 in New York City) is an American singer originally in Dance-Pop music, but now mostly in salsa-based music. She is also well known for her 1980s work with freestyle music.
Starr was born to a Jewish American father, organist Harvey Kaplan, and Puerto Rican Catholic mother. Her only album to make the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart was her self-titled debut album, which peaked at fifty-eight. She has had two top forty hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "I Still Believe" (which peaked at #13) and "What You See is What You Get" (which peaked at #24) and at #6 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play. During the late 1980s, Mariah Carey sang background vocals for Starr, and Starr helped Carey secure a recording contract by giving a demo tape of hers to Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola at a party. After being dropped from Sony/Columbia, Starr worked odd jobs to support herself and her family for several years, including one at a shopping mall in New Jersey.
After she met she had to learn Spanish in order to rejuvent her career, this time as mostly a Salsa/Tropical artist. After the release her cover of Herida which peaked at #16 on the Latin Pop Airplay and at #1 on the Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay chart, her music career became successful again. From then, she released a string of popular, successful albums with many chart hits. Brenda is also a disc jockey at MIX 102.7, WNEW-FM, where she presents a request program "Under the Stars", from 9 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. It appears to have helped her music career since her concerts have began to sell even stronger than before. The lead single from her seventh album, "Atervete a Olvidarme", titled, "Tu Eres" earned her a nomination by the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2006.
Starr has starred in several films, most notably in the 1980s urban film Beat Street, which had her portraying herself as a singer at an open-audition.
Discography
Albums
- 1985: I Want Your Love (Dance/R&B)
- 1987: Brenda K. Starr (Billboard 200) #58 U.S.
- 1991: By Heart (Did not chart}
- 1997: Te Sigo Esperando
- 1998: No Lo Voy a Olvidar
- 2000: Petalos de Fuego (Tropical/Salsa) #15 U.S.
- 2002: All Time Greatest Hits
- 2002: Temptation (Top Latin Albums) #28 U.S. (Tropical/Salsa) #3 U.S.
- 2004: ""
- 2005: Atrevete a Olvidarme (Top Tropical Albums) #9 U.S.
Singles
- 1985: "Pickin' Up Pieces" (Hot Dance Music/Club Play) #9, (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) #83
- 1987: "Breakfast In Bed" (Hot Dance Music/Club Play) #18
- 1988: "I Still Believe" (BB Hot 100) #13
- 1988: "What You See Is What You Get" (BB Hot 100)#24
- 1991: "No Matter What" (with George Lamond) (BB Hot 100) #49
- 1991: "If You Could Read My Mind" (BB Hot 100) (Did not chart)
- 1997: "Herida" (Hot Latin Tracks) #28, (Latin Pop Airplay) #14, (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #1
- 1998: "Si Me Preguntan Por Ti" (Hot Latin Tracks) #31, (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #10
- 1999: "I Still Believe/Creo en Ti" (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #20
- 1999: "Senor Amante (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #20
- 2000: "Petelos De Fuego (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #20
- 2002: "Por Ese Hombre (Latin Pop Airplay) #33, (Hot Latin Tracks) #11, (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #1
- 2002: "Rabia" (Bolero Son) (Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay) #19
- 2005: "Tu Eres" (Latin Tropical Airplay) #19
- 2005: "Atrevete a Olvidarme" (Latin Tropical Airplay) #21
See also
External links
- [- Brenda's Official Website]
- [Brenda] -features hit song "I Still Believe"
- [Brenda K. Starr lyrics] organized by album at [lyrics.info]
- [- The World's Largest Freestyle Music Community]
- [- allmusic.com]
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