Brand New Heavies Biography

The Brand New Heavies are an English band formed in 1985, consisting of Simon Bartholomew, Andrew Levy, and Jan Kincaid. The group's early years saw them establishing a local following in London, and they released their debut self-titled album in June 1990. The album was reissued in 1991 with newly recorded vocals by American singer-songwriter N'Dea Davenport, who had recently joined the lineup.

The band's breakthrough success came with the release of their third album Brother Sister in April 1994, which peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and became certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The album's lead single "Dream On Dreamer" charted in the top 20 in several countries, including peaking at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Brand New Heavies have released over a dozen albums, including Shelter (1997), We Won't Stop (2003), Allaboutthefunk (2004), Get Used to It (2011), and Forward (2013). They have also contributed music to several major motion pictures, such as Higher Learning, Sliding Doors, and Happy Feet. The group has had several vocalists over the years, including Siedah Garrett, Carleen Anderson, Sy Smith, and Dawn Joseph.

In 2006, N'Dea Davenport returned to the group, and they released the album Get Used to It. They have since released several more albums, including Live in London (2009) and Sweet Freaks (2014). The band has undergone some lineup changes, with Jan Kincaid and Dawn Joseph departing the group after the release of Sweet Freaks.

The Brand New Heavies continue to perform and record with a core lineup that includes Simon Bartholomew, Andrew Levy, and other musicians. They have had an ever-rotating selection of vocalists, with Sulene Fleming touring with the group from 2016 to 2018, and Angela Ricci joining later.

The band has sold over 2.5 million records worldwide and is regarded as one of the leading bands in the genre of acid jazz. Their music has been well-received, with several of their albums and singles achieving commercial success.