* En anglais uniquement
Alongside
Terri Walker,
Beverley Knight, and
Jamelia,
Keisha White was at the forefront of the resurgent British female R&B scene in the mid-noughties. Born in 1987,
White grew up in Enfield, London, where -- inspired by her mother, a professional singer -- she developed a passion for music. At 14 years old, she was invited to perform in front of Warner Records executives who were so impressed at her a cappella rendition of
Aretha Franklin's "If You Lose a Good Thing" that they signed her on the spot. After guesting on "The Harder They Come," a track from
Paul Oakenfold's
Bunkka album, and supporting
Mis-Teeq on their U.K. tour,
White released her debut single, "Watcha Gonna Do," in 2004. Follow-up "Don't Care Who Knows," a duet with U.S. hip-hop star
Cassidy, gave her a first solo U.K. Top 40 single a year later, and after more support slots with
UB40,
Lemar, and
Black Eyed Peas, her debut album, Seventeen, was released. Despite critical acclaim, however, it failed to enter the charts, and
White spent the next year refocusing and re-recording, the result of which was Out of My Hands, an album featuring a selection of Seventeen tracks as well as new songs produced by the likes of Scott Storch. After "The Weakness in Me," a
Joan Armatrading cover, became her biggest hit, reaching number 17, and "Don't Mistake Me" became her biggest airplay hit, the album was released, reaching number 55 in 2006. Final single "I Choose Life" gave her a sixth Top 75 single, and she was later nominated for Best U.K. Female at the 2006 MOBO Awards, only to be beaten by
Corinne Bailey Rae.
White has also appeared in the Halle Berry movie Catwoman thanks to a recommendation from
Alicia Keys, and sang the theme tune to the hit children's BBC TV show Tracy Beaker. ~ Jon O'Brien