Diana King

Biography

Diana King (born 8 November 1970) is a Jamaican singer and songwriter who performs a mixture and fusion of reggae, reggae fusion and dancehall. They are best known for their hit 1995 single "Shy Guy×Shy Guy8 July 1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Shy Guy (radio edit)3:432Shy Guy (Darpe mix)3:42" and their cover of "I Say a Little Prayer×I Say a Little Prayer1 July 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1I Say a Little Prayer (LP version)3:362I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Classic radio mix)3:293I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Vortex Voyager mix)8:384I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Classic mix)6:525I Say a Little Prayer (Keith Andes remix)3:566I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Love Groove)3:377Piece of My Heart3:42", which was featured on the soundtrack to My Best Friend's Wedding.
As of 1998, King has sold over five million records worldwide. Regarded as one of the most successful Jamaican artists, they have scored multiple Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 entries. King is also a recipient of the "Vanguard Award" at the Out Music Awards. King is non-binary and was the first openly gay Jamaican artist.

Career

King was born to an Indo-Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father in Spanish Town. King was a member of the City Heat band, performing on the local hotel circuit before releasing their first solo single, "Change of Heart", in 1991.
After making an appearance on the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 song "Respect×Respect24 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Summer Breezin’3:252Suga, Suga3:393Credit Card4:114Mi Lova3:545Smooth Girl3:516Down Lo3:537Tick Boom3:098She Had A…3:179Wine Yu Waist4:1410Wallflower3:3311Dance (Like No One’s Watching Us)3:5412The Real Shit4:0913Summer Breezin’3:49", from his album Ready to Die, King signed a recording contract with Sony Music. Their first release was a cover of the Bob Marley song "Stir It Up" (which peaked at no. 53 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart) for the Cool Runnings soundtrack that same year.
King's next single, "Shy Guy×Shy Guy8 July 1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Shy Guy (radio edit)3:432Shy Guy (Darpe mix)3:42", co-written and produced by Andy Marvel was released in 1995. The song, which only took them 10 minutes to write, became a hit, reaching No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified gold by the RIAA in the U.S.; the single also hit No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as reaching No. 1 on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles chart, going on to sell nearly five million singles worldwide. "Shy Guy" was also ranked by the Japanese radio station J-Wave as the No. 1 song of 1995. In the UK, it had a place in the top 10 for seven weeks. It served as a single from the soundtrack to the 1995 film, Bad Boys in addition to being the lead release off their debut album Tougher Than Love×Tougher Than Love25 April 1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Love Me Thru the Night5:182Shy Guy4:203Love Triangle4:224Ain’t Nobody5:235Tougher Than Love3:506Can’t Do Without You5:027Slow Rush4:578Treat Her Like a Lady3:559Black Roses5:0610Tumble Down4:2011I’m Still in Love4:36 which was released on 25 April 1995. The album peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Reggae, No. 85 on R&B, and No. 179 on the Billboard 200 charts. Two follow-up singles "Love Triangle×Love Triangle1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Love Triangle (LP version radio edit)3:552Love Triangle (Tee mix)3:543Love Triangle (Street Flavor mix)3:434Lock Him Up4:13" (No. 85 R&B) and "Ain't Nobody" (No. 94 Pop, No. 63 R&B) followed that same year. In 1996, King collaborated with Nahki on the single "I'll Do It". Also in 1996, their version of "Piece of My Heart" was included on the soundtrack to the film The First Wives Club.
In 1997, King also achieved another hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 38) and the Hot Dance Club Play (No. 8) with their cover version of the song "I Say a Little Prayer×I Say a Little Prayer1 July 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1I Say a Little Prayer (LP version)3:362I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Classic radio mix)3:293I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Vortex Voyager mix)8:384I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Classic mix)6:525I Say a Little Prayer (Keith Andes remix)3:566I Say a Little Prayer (Love to Infinity's Love Groove)3:377Piece of My Heart3:42" (originally recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1967), which was featured on the soundtrack to the film, My Best Friend's Wedding. Their second album Think Like a Girl×Think Like a Girl22 August 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Think Like a Girl2:592L-L-Lies4:103Love Yourself4:434New Galfriend4:545Find My Way Back4:106Supa-Lova-Bwoy3:577Tenderness4:178I Say a Little Prayer3:359Mi Coffee0:3210Sweeter4:0811Do You Really Want to Hurt Me5:2712Wicked4:1713Still3:3514Hook or by Crook4:01 was released on 30 September 1997, and entered the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart at No. 1. The album spawned two more US singles with "L-L-Lies×L-L-Lies1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1L-L-Lies (single version)3:342Shy Guy (live)6:043L-L-Lies (Double Deception radio mix)4:054L-L-Lies (Jamaican Pop mix)4:17" and "Find My Way Back×Find My Way Back1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Find My Way Back (Single Version)3:522Find My Way Back (Mark's N-R-G Radio Mix)3:39" in addition to "Supa-Lova-Bwoy×Supa-Lova-Bwoy14 January 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Supa-Lova- Bwoy (Album Version)3:572Supa-Lova- Bwoy (Marvel Guitar Mix )3:443When We Were Kings (Duet w Brian McNight )4:41" which was released exclusively in Japan. King was also featured on the 1997 soundtrack to the documentary When We Were Kings, where they performed the title track with Brian McKnight.
In 1998, King joined Celine Dion and Brownstone on stage to perform the hit "Treat Her Like a Lady" previously written and recorded by King from Tougher Than Love at the Essence Awards. That year, they also appeared on Soul Train, The RuPaul Show, and VIBE to promote Think Like a Girl. They also collaborated with artists such as Toots Hibbert, Ziggy Marley, Buju Banton, Ini Kamoze, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Tony Rebel, I-Three, Brian Gold, Handel Tucker, Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar & Mikey Bennett on the charity single "Rise Up" with Jamaica United.
In 1999, King toured India doing a five city tour. From Goa, they said: "I never thought I would come back to India." King entered negotiations with Madonna's Maverick Records label in 2000. In 2002, King premiered their single, "Summer Breezin'" on BET and VH1 video outlets, and it received some urban radio airplay, their third album Respect was released on 24 July 2002 in Japan, with plans for other markets such as the US and Europe eventually cancelled. However, it finally received a release in other markets such as the UK on 17 April 2006 and the United States on 28 April 2008. In 2006, King released the single "Spanish Town Blues" for a Taxi Records compilation album with Sly & Robbie.
In 2007, King co-wrote and recorded the song "The Light Within" with the German reggae artist Gentleman, for his album Another Intensity. Additionally, they also collaborated with Sarah and Kid Capri for a single called "Get Me @ This Party". Later that year, they formed their own record label, ThinkLikeAgirl. In 2009, they collaborated with Richie Stephens on a remake of the ballad "The Closer I Get to You" for his album Forever.
In 2010, King's record label ThinkLikeAgirL Music Inc. went through a licensing deal with Warner Music Japan with the release of their fourth album, Warrior Gurl. The album was released in Japan on 22 September 2010. It was led by the single "Yu Dun Kno" which was released that same year. They also recorded a track "Bounce" for another Taxi Records compilation album. For the international release of the album, King renamed the album to AgirLnaMeKING×Agirlnameking8 November 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Yu Dun Kno4:182Jeanz n T-Shirt5:293Warrior Gurl4:584Closer4:315Badgyal3:506Boobai5:107Cum 2 Me5:498W A W I (When a Woman's Inluv)5:009Proud4:3910Foreva Young5:3511Bruises4:0812MI-CHA-EL (For Michael Jackson)4:4313Murdaraaa3:33 and it was released on their birthday, 8 November 2012. Two more singles "Closer" and "Jeanz N T-Shirt" were released in 2012. In 2016, King announced they were at work on an all-lesbian record label in addition to a new studio album and an EP. The full-length album was to be a reggae release, while the EP an EDM release.

Personal life

King gave birth to a daughter, Shalamar Diana Wright, when they were sixteen. King was previously married to their tour manager Orville Aris, with whom they share a son, born in 1996. In June 2012, King came out as a lesbian via Facebook, stating: "I answer now, not because it's anyone's business but because it feels right with my soul and I believe by not answering or hiding it all these years somehow makes it appear as if I am ashamed of it or that I believe it is wrong." King has 15 siblings, but since coming out are now only close to one, as of 2016. King realized they were gay in their twenties, but it took a decade to become comfortable with it publicly, for fear of backlash towards their children. King was honoured for their bravery on 16 December 2012 and was presented with the Vanguard Award at the Out Music Awards in Las Vegas. King was the first openly gay Jamaican artist.
In January 2018, King announced that they had married their long-time girlfriend, the Jamaican violinist Mijanne Webster. In 2018, King came out as non-binary and created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for top surgery. On August 5, 2021, King announced that their daughter, Shalamar, had died after being taken off life support. King holds both Jamaican and US citizenship.