Kristine W • Love Come Home

The brilliant Kristine W has a new music video out, and I am quite excited to share it with you all. The video features the song "Love Come Home", originally found on the album 'New & Number Ones'. Actually, the song was chosen by Kristine's fans in a Facebook poll, and many are very excited to finally see it. The video also features Kristine's pre-teen daughter, Elizabeth, adding that much more love to the equation. It was directed by Adan Van Dam, and also features a cameo by artist Scott Cohen, one of the forces behind the Burning Man event. And the song is pure Kristine W, fro the writing to the singing, with strength and love in the forefront. This is the music video for "Love Come Home".

I love this song, and couldn't wait to see the video. I hope you feel the same way. To learn more about Kristine W, visit her official website. You can also 'like' her on Facebook, and 'follow' her on Twitter. You can purchase the album 'New & Number Ones', available on iTunes and Amazon. You can also purchase 'Love Come Home (Part 1)', a collection of remixes, on iTunes and Amazon.

Dance Hits From 1994

Clockwise: General Public, Céline Dion, Madonna, and Kristine W.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the songs that topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1994, and I thought it was pretty damn impressive. Stars like Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, Bjork, CeCe Peniston, Deee-Lite, k.d. lang, Mariah Carey, C+C Music Factory, Patti LaBelle, and Ace of Base topped the chart that year, and didn't make this post. Some even had two different songs go #1! Who were the four lucky artists and which the lucky songs? I will begin with the song that went to #1 the week of June 4. That is when General Public, the British New Wave band I just loved, had "I'll Take You There" on the soundtrack to the film 'Threesome', and it caught on with the, well, general public. The song went to #22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was in the Top 100 on the year end chart. It also stood on top of the Hot Dance Club Play chart, so here are General Public with "I'll Take You There".

You can find "I'll Take You There" on 'The Best of General Public', available from iTunes and Amazon. It was about this time French Canadian songstress Céline Dion was beginning to make a mark on the American charts. Her first US #1 song was "The Power of Love", the first single off the album 'The Colour of My Love', in 1993. The second single was "Misled", which went to #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. But it also went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart the weeks of July 2nd and July 9th. This is "Misled" by Céline Dion.

You can find "Misled" on 'The Colour of My Love', available from iTunes and Amazon. During the summer, almost 20 years to the day, it was the start of something pretty darned special. The week of July 23rd, "Feel What You Want" went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, the first of eight songs in a row to go to the top of the chart. As a matter of fact, she had 14 of her first 15 songs make it to the top, the other one only going to #2. But it was her first single off the album 'Land of the Living' that started the run, and it is easy to understand why. The song is smokey, smart, sexy, and powerful, and you couldn't ask any more from a song, could you? And the video is, well, amazing. This is "Feel What You Want" by Kristine W.

You can find "Feel What You Want" on 'Land of the Living', available from iTunes and Amazon. For our final song of the post, I can't say it was the artist's first #1 song, nor even her first of the 1990s. Madonna had her first #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1993, with "Holiday". Fast forward almost 11 years, and 18 Dance chart toppers, and Madge releases the album 'Bedtime Stories'. Of course the album is a success, as is the first single, "Secret". Sexy and moody, the song went to #1 on the Dance chart the weeks of November 26th and December 3rd.
"Secret" by Madonna




You can find "Secret" on 'GHV2', available from iTunes and Amazon.

Kristine W • #1 in 2003

Just ten years ago, a beautiful singer was topping the Dance charts with a couple of songs that were also a part of the soundtrack of a hit television series. Kristine W was no stranger to the music charts, scoring 16 #1's on the Billboard Dance charts since "Feel What You Want" went to the top in 1995. But 2003 was a return of sorts for Kristine, who had been diagnosed with AML Leukemia in 2001. She spent two years fighting the disease, before returning to the studio with a clean bill of health.

But she did return in 2003, taking up exactly where she had left off. She recorded with Murk, a house-music production team composed of Ralph Falcón and Oscar Gaetan. "Some Lovin'" was a great collaboration, and put Kristine back at #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club chart, making it a remarkable six consecutive chart toppers. The song was used in the soundtrack to Showtime's 'Queer As Folk', and some scenes were also used in the music video. The Hi-N-R-G song packs power, and Kristine was there to deliver the knock-out punch, her amazing vocals. Enjoy the music video for "Some Lovin'", featuring Murk and Kristine W.

Now that she was back to work, Kristine didn't wait too long before she released an album of her own material. 'Fly Again' was released under the Tommy Boy Entertainment label, and the title track was the first single. "Fly Again" was written by Kristine and Jesse Houk, a DJ/artist also known by the unfortunate name, The Scumfrog. The first single proved people were still wanting the music Kristine was making, for it too went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club chart. This is the music video for "Fly Again".

The next two singles from the album, "Save My Soul" and "The Wonder of It All", also went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club chart, making it nine #1 singles in a row. The fourth single off the album, "I'll Be Your Light", broke the string, only making it to #2 on the charts. But don't feel too bad for her, as the next seven singles all made it to #1. To learn more about Kristine W, visit her official website. You can also 'like' her on Facebook, and 'follow' her on Twitter. You can purchase the album 'Fly Again', available on iTunes and Amazon.

Dancing With Kristine W

When I was trying to figure out what I was going to post for this wonderful Friday, I thought back to a couple of discussions I had some Dance artists who swore Kristine W was one of the best Dance artists ever, definitely an artist on top of their game. From 1994 until this year, she had 16 songs go to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, and another 2 n the Top 5. That is an incredible streak for Kristine Weitz, born in Washington state. In fact, in 1981 she was named Miss Washington State, and won college scholarships in the 1982 Miss America pageant.

By the late 1980s she was working in Las Vegas with her band, Kristine W and the Sting. They were playing the top clubs and casinos, gaining fans. It was there she was 'discovered', and brought into the studio. By 1994 Kristine had released her second single, and her first #1, "Feel What You Want".

By 1997, she was working on her fourth single, and her third #1 song, "Land of the Living". That is an envious streak, but just the start of something amazing. By this time, the best in the country, DJs like Junior Vasquez, Rollo, and Sister Bliss were offering up their own remixes of her music, getting more and more play in the clubs. In fact, they were beginning to remix songs not officially released, distributing them to select DJs, giving her regional hits that were represented in the national charts. Enjoy "Land of the Living".

In 2000, Kristine released "Stronger", written by Kristine, Jud J. Friedman and Allan Rich. The song appeared on an album of the same name. Once again, it topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, keeping her reputation in place.

"Fly Again"was written by Kristine and Jesse Houk, the title cut off the 2003 album of the same name. Once again it topped the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, her seventh #1 song in a row.

To learn more about Kristine W, visit her official website. You can purchase a couple of these songs on 'New & Number Ones', available on iTunes and Amazon.

Friday Night Dance Party • 2006

Clockwise: Madonna; Kristine W; Tarkan; and Bananarama.

Well, the holidays might be over, the the work week has come to an end, and it is time to party! So I decided to go back 6 years to find the music we can dance to tonight. That is right, hitting the music of 2006, and although I am not going with the top songs on the chart, I just decided to go with some of the songs/performers I really enjoyed that year. And I will start with the queen of it all, the majestic Madonna. She had hits in the 80s, and more in the 90s. But who would have thought she would be releasing hits in the 2000s, too? Get Together was a release from the hit-ridden album, Confessions On A Dance Floor. While it didn't show up on the Pop chart, it was #1 on the
Billboard Dance chart. You can find it on iTunes and Amazon.



For many, Kristine W has been making some of the greatest Dance music for the last 15 years or so, since 1994. She is a great talent, with a voice that is amazing. In 2006, she had the wonderful I'll Be Your Light, from the 2004 album Fly Again. I'll Be Your Light soared to #2 on the Billboard Dance chart. Check out the cool video for the song. You can find it on iTunes and Amazon.



While many remember Bananarama to be a trio, for the last 20 years they have performed as a duo. Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin have taken the sound over, after Siobhan Fahey left in 1988, and her replacement, Jacquie O'Sullivan, bowed out in 1991. In 2006, they had a fantastic single with Move In My Direction, off the 9th studio album, Drama. The album was their first on the charts in over a decade. And this video is hot! You can find it on iTunes and Amazon.



I am such a fan of Tarkan, for he not only is gorgeous, but he is also a talented singer and a great dancer. So when he released his first (and so far only) English-language album I went online to import it. When Come Closer arrived at the door, I was excited. And am I glad I purchased it. It is a great collection, and I still listen to it now. This is the single Start The Fire, one that always gets me moving! You can find it Amazon.



Enjoy the weekend!

Party Like It's 2001

Clockwise: Janet Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Madonna, and Kristine W.

It's another Friday night, and there was a time in my younger days that meant figuring out who was going out to the clubs, when we are going to meet up and where... Now, it means I am making sure I have a blog post up! This week, I thought we would revisit the Dance Hits from 2001, those songs that reached to the top of the Billboard Dance chart, and see if that rings a bell with anyone. And I will start with the song that ruled the chart on February 10. The song is by the Diva of Dance Music Kristine W, and is called Lovin' You. The song made a memorable part of the soundtrack for the first season of Showtime's Queer As Folk.



The next song was not only a hit on the Dance chart, with was also huge on teh Pop chart as well. Janet Jackson's All For You was #1 on the Dance chart for three straight weeks, May 12, 19, and 26. It was also # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks, proving the power of a talented woman.



On June 2, it was a true music queen who ruled the chart. Madonna was back on top with the song What It Feels Like For A Girl. Written by Madonna, it challenged society's views and expectations of women, as only Madonna could. The video was directed by Madonna's then-husband, Guy Ritchie, and was quite controversial at the time. Madonna making waves, go figure...



Coming up on the end of the year, the Gods were shining on the Pet Shop Boys, who had their first #1 song 17 years before with West End Girls. On November 10, Break 4 Love by Peter Rauhofer+Pet Shop Boys=The Collaboration was in the #1 position on the Dance chart, proving talented musicians can be rewarded for making good music.



Hope that brought back some great memories, and some smooth dance moves.