Neneh Cherry

Born: 1964
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Genre: R&B, Pop, Trip Hop, Jazz, Soul
Years Active: 1980 -
Real Name: Neneh Karlsson
Meaning of the Name: Cherry is her step-father's surname
Way of Working: Works with producers
Associated: The Slits, The Wild Bunch, Eagle Eye Cherry (brother), New Age Steppers

Essential Releases

Raw Like Sushi (1989)

Eclectic album fusing together sounds from a vast array of music.

In today's music world it can almost be considered normal to experiment with disparate styles but that wasn't always the case. When Neneh Cherry released her late-'80s debut Raw Like Sushi it was revolutionary due to the vast array of sounds combined in one LP, or even one track.

'Buffalo Stance' is a prime example. Alternating between singing and rapping she both breaks it down and lifts it up with the confidence of a vocalist twice her age. The restless number in question capriciously flits from pop to dance to hip hop, fusing its various elements together with ease. This single song was the '80s equivalent of having your Spotify playlist on shuffle.

Indeed, her entire discography has a similar post-genre approach. Man (1996) is mellow soul, The Cherry Thing (2012) is free jazz, while on the Four Tet produced Blank Project (2014) her signature musical kaleidoscope is inverted into minimalist electronica. Defying convention and always impossible to categorise, Neneh Cherry's sonic DNA emerged organically as a natural byproduct of her globetrotting life and multiracial heritage.

As a mixed-race Swedish woman, she stood apart from her Nordic peers. Her father was from Sierra Leone's tribal community. Following her parents' divorce, her mother married the American jazz trumpeter Don Cherry and the family started a new life in the States.

The ever restless Neneh Cherry moved to London at 15 to live independently. Dwelling in a squat while playing in punk bands such as The Slits, she briefly married her bandmate Bruce Smith. She progressed into the reggae/dub outfit New Age Steppers before eventually wedding husband number two, the producer Cameron McVey, who also played in the new wave band Bim. Her extensive and far-ranging musical background crystallised into her one of a kind style in the cosmopolitan melting pot of the nation's capital.

What made British life so great at the time was the coming together of people from different backgrounds in nightclubs and bars. Regardless of any racial or cultural differences, the new and interesting genre fusions provided places such folk could get to know one another, dancing until the old quarrels seemed unimportant. Artists with a similar approach, like Massive Attack, were products of similar environments and were directly influenced by Cherry.

Such venues played an important part in integrating ethnic minorities into the British way of life, creating a new Britannia from South Asia, the Caribbean and the British cultures. Neneh Cherry was a true maverick who, as a pioneer of multi-cultural sound, proved beyond doubt that music has the ability to bring people together.

Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?

65

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.

55

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.

100

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.

70

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?

65

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.

80

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.

90

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.

80

Singing

i Technical attributes.

80

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.

85

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?

70

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.

70

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.

70

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?

100

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.

85

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.

60

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

• BRIT Award WINNER! x2 1990 - Best International Solo Artist, Best International Breakthrough
• Grammy Award Nominee 1990 - Best New Artist
• MTV Europe Music Awards WINNER! 1997 - 7 Seconds - Best Song

Certifications >>>

• Raw Like Sushi - Platinum in the UK; Gold in Canada
• Man - Silver in the UK

Charts >>>

• Raw Like Sushi - Number 2 in the UK; Number 3 in Sweden

Critics

Similar Acts

• Massive Attack
• Grace Jones
• M.I.A.
• Santigold

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