Ultra Naté

In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked her as the 12th-most successful dance artist of all time so far.

• Name — Ultra Naté • Born — 20 March 1968 • Birthplace — Havre de Grace, Maryland, U.S. • Genre — * Dance • garage house • R&B • Associated Acts — * Deee-lite • Crystal Waters • Basement Boys • Quentin Harris • Alex Gaudino • Stonebridge • Michelle Williams • Chris Willis • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • record producer • promoter • DJ • Years Active — 1989–present • Label — * Warner Bros. Records • Strictly Rhythm Records • Silver Label/Tommy Boy Entertainment • Blufire/Peacebisquit • Grand Groove Records • Website — http: www.ultranate.com/

Born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, United States, Naté displayed her singing talent at an early age. Growing up, she enjoyed a wide variety of music and listened to artists such as Marvin Gaye and Boy George, who Naté later said helped her become more open to being experimental with her style and music production. She is best known for her 1990s dance crossover track Free. Her 1998 cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind," with Amber and Jocelyn Enriquez as Stars on 54, was a minor mainstream American hit. It reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. She has had club success in the United States, but the majority of her singles and, especially, album sales success has been in Europe.

Ultra Naté began her recording career on a major label, Warner Bros. Records, signed through its British offices. Through it, she released her first two albums. Her debut album, Blue Notes in the Basement (1991), was created along with the Basement Boys, and it featured the singles "It's Over Now", "Deeper Love (Missing You)", "Is It Love", and the gospel-tinged "Rejoicing". In 1993, the alternative dance/house album One Woman's Insanity was released. Although it still featured the Basement Boys' production on several tracks, this time Ultra worked with Nellee Hooper and D-Influence. At a time when soulful house music performers such as Robin S and Crystal Waters were scoring crossover Top Ten pop singles, it was believed that Ultra Naté would achieve a similar level of commercial success. However, mainstream sales were not realized, even though "Show Me" received moderate mainstream pop radio airplay. Singles included "How Long", "Show Me" (her first song to reach the top position on the US Dance charts), and "Joy". However, neither release sold well, and she was dropped from the label. In 1995, Ultra Naté contributed the song "Party Girl (Turn Me Loose)" to the soundtrack of the independent film Party Girl starring Parker Posey. The single was commercially released by the King Street Sounds label. When Warner Bros. attempted to push her in another direction, Ultra Naté left the major label and moved to the independent dance label Strictly Rhythm. It was here that "Free", her biggest mainstream hit, was released in 1997. The song, co-written by Naté, Lem Springsteen, and John Ciafone, with production by both Springsteen and Ciafone, enjoyed heavy airplay throughout the summer, not only in clubs but also on rhythmic and mainstream radio stations in America and Europe. "Free" peaked at number 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It became a substantial hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, helping its parent album Situation: Critical reach number seventeen on the UK Albums Chart. It was also successful in Canada, where it peaked at number ten on the Canadian Singles Chart. It was with this album that Ultra Naté achieved her greatest commercial success, particularly in Europe, where singles such as "Found a Cure" (No. 6 in the UK) and "New Kind of Medicine" (No. 14 in the UK) also charted. In 1998, a new single, "Pressure," was released internationally. Taken from the soundtrack to the film The 24 Hour Woman, it contained three club mixes. The original version of the track was found on Situation: Critical, but listed as "Release the Pressure." Her follow-up album Stranger Than Fiction, released in 2001, featured the production work of artists such as Attica Blues, 4 Hero, and Mood II Swing. Four singles were released: "Desire," "Get It Up (The Feeling)," "Twisted," and "I Don't Understand It." Naté contributed the song "Wonderful Place" to the AIDS benefit compilation Keep Hope Alive: A Lifebeat Benefit Compilation. Additionally, in 2004, she released the singles "Feel Love," "Brass in Pocket," "Time of Our Lives" (released as "Ultra Devoted featuring Ultra Naté and Gerry DeVeaux"), and a new version of "Free" that featured twelve new mixes. In 2005, she collaborated with Gaudino and released the single "Bitter Sweet Melody." Later that year, she appeared again on the charts when her featured vocals on the StoneBridge single "Freak On" became a successful dance hit. She also performed on the British show Hit Me Baby One More Time. Having become a mother for the first time in the fall of 2005, Naté released her fifth album Grime, Silk, & Thunder on her newly created imprint Blufire in partnership with Tommy Boy Records. The first single released was "Love's the Only Drug", which became available through the US iTunes Store on August 8, 2006, and reached number two on the American Hot Dance Club Play chart, also making the Top 30 on the Hot Dance Airplay chart. The second single, "Automatic" (a cover version of the Pointer Sisters hit), reached number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart (the week ending April 28, 2007). It also received airplay on Rhythmic/Dance radio, where it reached the Top 30 on most playlists in this format. Following "Automatic," Ultra released "Give It All You Got," featuring Chris Willis, in December 2007. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play charts the week ending February 23, 2008. In mid-2009, it was announced that US singer Michelle Williams, previously of Destiny's Child, had collaborated on a song with Ultra called "I'm Waiting On You," for use on both of their next studio albums. In 2010, Ultra released a Bob Sinclar remix of her hit "Free" on Strictly Rhythm. She also collaborated with Quentin Harris on "Give It 2 U" for his album Sacrifice. Additionally, she released "Destination" in collaboration with Tony Moran, which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Dance Play chart. "Destination" was the second single off Tony's album, Mix Magic Music. In 2010, she released an EP titled Things Happen At Night, featuring Ultra's pop and soul melodies and vocals over percussive club beats by Unruly Productions. In January 2011, Ultra's next single, "Turn It Up," was released with a music video directed by Leo Herrera. "Turn It Up" was the first single from her sixth studio album, Hero Worship. In September 2011, she submitted the song "My Love" to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan. However, although it was close, the song failed to reach the final. In 2013, she held a residency at Café Olé at Space, Ibiza. She has performed at the New York's massive Summer Stage in Central Park, Nile Rodgers' acclaimed FOLD Festival, where she shared the stage with CHIC, Duran Duran, Pharrell, and Beck, as well as Lincoln Center's annual Midnight Summer Swing and numerous Pride events around the world. Ultra's 2017 album collaboration, Ultra Naté & Quentin Harris as Black Stereo Faith, reached the iTunes Top 10 upon release. In 2022, she released her tenth studio album, "Ultra", through Blufire/Peacebisquit. In 2023, the deluxe edition of the album was released, with 4 additional songs.

• Blue Notes in the Basement (1991) • One Woman's Insanity (1993) • Situation: Critical (1998) • Stranger Than Fiction (2001) • Grime, Silk, & Thunder (2007) • Hero Worship (2013) • Black Stereo Faith (2017) • Ultra (2022)

• The Best Remixes, Vol. 1 (1997) • Best Remixes, Vol. 2 (1999) • Alchemy - G.S.T. Reloaded (2008)

• Things Happen at Night (2010)

• Year — Title — Peak chart positions — Certifications (sales thresholds) — Album • US — US Dance — AUS — CAN — UK • 1989 — "It's Over Now" — — — — — — — — — 62 — Blue Notes in the Basement • 1991 — "Is It Love?" — — — 45 — — — — — 71 • 1992 — "Rejoicing (I'll Never Forget)" — — — 7 — — — — — — • 1993 — "Joy" — — — 2 — — — — — 77 — One Woman's Insanity • 1994 — "Show Me" — — — 1 — — — — — 62 • "How Long" — — — 2 — — — — — — • 1997 — "Free" — 75 — 1 — 31 — 10 — 4 — *BPI: Platinum — Situation: Critical • 1998 — "Free (Remix)" — — — — — — — — — 33 • "Found a Cure" — — — 1 — 127 — — — 6 • "New Kind of Medicine" — — — 28 — — — — — 14 • "Release the Pressure" — — — 3 — — — — — — • "If You Could Read My Mind" (Stars on 54: Ultra Naté, Amber, Jocelyn Enriquez) — 52 — 3 — 3 — 7 — 23 — * ARIA: Gold — 54 soundtrack • 2000 — "Desire" — — — 1 — — — — — 40 — Stranger Than Fiction • 2001 — "Get It Up (The Feeling)" — — — 1 — — — — — 51 • 2002 — "I Don't Understand It" — — — 25 — — — — — — • "Twisted" — — — — — — — — — — • 2003 — "Brass in Pocket" — — — 8 — — — — — — — Non-album single • 2004 — "Free" (Remixes) (Oscar G, Brick City, Corbett & Troia remix) — — — 22 — — — — — — — Free (Remixes) • 2005 — "Freak On" (Ultra Naté vs Stonebridge) — — — — — — — — — 37 — Grime, Silk, & Thunder • 2006 — "Love's the Only Drug" — — — 2 — — — — — — • 2007 — "Automatic" — — — 1 — — — — — — • "Give It All You Got" (with Chris Willis) — — — 1 — — — — — — • 2008 — "Twisted (Got Me Goin' Round)" — — — 3 — — — — — — — GST: Grime Silk & Thunder Reloaded • 2009 — "Faster Faster Pussycat (Let’s Go!)" — — — — — — — — — — — Things Happen at Night • "Hey DJ" — — — — — — — — — — • 2011 — "Turn It Up" — — — 4 — — — — — — — Hero Worship • "My Love" — — — — — — — — — — • "Waiting on You" (with Michelle Williams) — — — 11 — — — — — — • 2013 — "Everybody Loves the Night" — — — 29 — — — — — — • 2014 — "Unconditional" — — — 2 — — — — — — • "So Glamorous" (with Samuele Sartini) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album singles • 2015 — "Take Care of My Heart" (with Eddie Amador) — — — 21 — — — — — — • 2016 — "Alive" — — — — — — — — — — • 2017 — "I'm Too Sexy (Touch This Skin)" — — — 7 — — — — — — — Black Stereo Faith • 2017 — "Fake" (S-Man & Ultra Naté) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album single • 2020 — "Free (Live Your Life)" — — — — — — — — — — — Free (Live Your Life) (Remixes) • 2022 — "Supernatural" (with Funk Cartel) — — — — — — — — — — — Ultra & Ultra Deluxe • "Miracle" — — — — — — — — — — • "You're Free" (with Icona Pop) — — — — — — — — — — • "Fun" — — — — — — — — — — • "Rich M*fks" (with Henrik Schwarz) — — — — — — — — — — • "Survivor" (with Tracy Young) — — — — — — — — — — • 2023 — "Free (Do What U Want)" (with Pete Tong, LP Giobbi, Jules Buckley) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album singles • "Fierce" (with Angelica Ross & Mila Jam) — — — — — — — — — — • "Dangerous (So Dare Me)" (with Les Bisous) — — — — — — — — — — — Ultra Deluxe • "Unbreakable" — — — — — — — — — — • 2024 — "Happy Feeling" (with Russell Small & DNO P) — — — — — — — — — — • 2026 — "Give Love" (with Richard Bahericz) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album single • "Push the Vibe" (with DJ Minx and Dee Diggs) — — — — — — — — — — — LP Giobbi Presents: Femme House Vol. 3 • "Movin' to the Sun" (with Hugel and Imael Angel) — — — — — 47 — 42 — 2 — * BPI: Silver — Twenty One • "Restless" (with Tedd Patterson) — — — — — — — — — — — Ultra • "Starlight" (with the Avener) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album single

• Year — Single — Peak chart positions • US Dance — AUS — UK • 1992 — "Altitude" (777 featuring Ultra Naté) — 44 — — — — • 1995 — "Party Girl (Turn Me Loose)" — 6 — — — — • "10,000 Screaming Faggots" (The Moonwalkers feat. Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • 1997 — "Partay Feeling" (B-Crew featuring Barbara Tucker, Dajae, Ultra Naté and Moné) — 22 — — — 45 • 2004 — "Time of Our Lives" (Ultra Devoted) — — — 59 — — • 2005 — "Bittersweet Melody" (Gaudino feat. Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • "Wonderful Place" (U.D.A.U.F.L.) — — — — — — • 2010 — "No Wasted Hearts" (Nicola Fasano feat. Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • "Destination" (Tony Moran feat. Ultra Naté) — 10 — — — — • 2018 — "Feeling Mighty" (David Harness, Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • "Peace" (Marcimo x Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • 2024 — "Every Emotion" (Bright Light Bright Light & Ultra Naté) — — — — — — • 2025 — "Wrecking Crew" (Lovequest & Ultra Naté) — — — — — —