Мика Парис: Путь от госпела до соула и телевидения

English singer (born 1969)

Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known professionally as Mica Paris (/m//iː/'/ʃ//ə/), is an English singer, presenter, and actress. Her debut album, So Good, was released in 1988, spawning the singles "My One Temptation" and "Where Is the Love". She has since gone on to release seven further albums: Contribution (1990), Whisper a Prayer (1993), Black Angel (1998), If You Could Love Me (2005), Soul Classics (2005), Born Again (2009), and Gospel (2020). In 2020, Paris played Ellie Nixon on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Paris grew up singing in her grandparents' church, and by her mid teens was making regular appearances with the Spirit of Watts gospel choir (with whom she featured on the 1985 EP Gospel Joy). Paris appeared on their album If (1985). This extended Paris' soul and gospel influences to bring in hip hop and house music and featured the track "If I Love U 2 Nite", written by Prince and recorded at his Paisley Park studios. With Omar Lye Fook, a classically trained musician, Paris recorded "I Should've Known Better" in 1990. It was issued on the B side to "South of the River". Paris also recorded with Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt and Natalie Cole on the album Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa (1990), and provided the title track to Isaac Julien's Young Soul Rebels movie soundtrack the following year. She worked with the saxophonist Courtney Pine ("Redemption Song" – 1992), the Stereo MCs ("Don't Let Up" – 1992) and Bobby Womack ("I Wish I'd Never Met You" – 1991). Her third album was Whisper a Prayer (1993), Also in 2005, she released the album Soul Classics, with executive producers Rick Blaskey and Andreas Neumann. Paris performed at various venues prior to the release from the album in March 2010 of the title track "Born Again". On 4 June 2022, Paris performed "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" with Nicola Roberts and Ruby Turner at the Platinum Party at the Palace concert to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

In 2002, Paris hosted a programme on BBC Radio 2, titled Soul Solutions and narrated several music documentaries for the station. She also presented the 2002 Channel 4 television documentary The Gospel of Gospel which revealed the influence of the black American church tradition on pop music. Produced and directed by David Upshal, it featured contributions from Ray Charles, Isaac Hayes, B. B. King, Al Green, Chaka Khan, Alexander O'Neal, Edwin Hawkins, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Mary Mary. Furthermore, she broadcast a two part show, Purple Reign: The Prince Story, on BBC Radio 2 which covered the entirety of the American artist's controversial career and featured interviews with George Clinton, Chaka Khan and Jimmy Jam. On 27 December 2020, she was on Songs of Praise. On 14 December 2023, Paris was featured on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour promoting her new album and Sky Arts show, A Gospel Christmas, with her supporting singers. The programme was broadcast on 23 December 2023. In the summer of 2015, Paris took part in the UK tour of the musical Love Me Tender. In 2019, Paris starred in a production of Fame.

While presenting What Not To Wear, Paris encountered many women whose stories touched her. She began to examine her own life and choices, and was compelled to tell her story in a bid to inspire confidence and self esteem to those women and others. Her book Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin was published by Simon & Schuster UK; The paperback was released in August 2008.

Paris has designed a pillow case for ByteNight a charity event organised to raise funds for the NCH and youth homelessness. Mica is the patron for the Space For Music project, the project to renovate Band on the Wall a venue owned and operated by registered charity Inner City Music Ltd. She is also an Ambassador for The Amy Winehouse Foundation and has sung at many special fundraising occasions for the charity including their 2012 Ball. She is also currently supporting the "No Means No" anti rape and gender equality campaign set up by the largest free local newspaper for English expats in Spain, EuroWeekly News.

In 2003, Paris was presented with the Gold Badge Award by the Ivors Academy for her special contribution to the British entertainment industry. In 2004 she was in the Top 10 list of the 100 Great Black Britons, which was compiled to celebrate the achievements and contributions made by the British Black community over the centuries. Paris was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music, entertainment and charity.

Paris was born in Islington in North London, but moved to Brockley, South London, when she was nine. She has discussed being teased as a child for having the name "Michelle" due to the popularity of Susan Tully’s portrayal of Michelle Fowler in EastEnders, causing her to adopt the nickname, and later professional name, "Mica". Paris has two daughters, Monet (b. 1991, with her former Irish husband) and Russia Mae (b. June 2006, from her previous relationship with German film director Andreas Neumann). Paris is a close friend of American singer Chaka Khan. The two first met while both performing at the Royal Albert Hall, and Khan is Godmother to Paris' eldest daughter. Paris' sister, Paula Wallen, was also a pop music singer, and she is the cousin of boxer Chris Eubank.