Hazell Dean is an English singer from Great Baddow, Chelmsford, best known for her 1980s hi-NRG and dance-pop recordings. Born in 1952, she begins her career in the mid-1970s performing in clubs and builds a following on the gay dance scene. Her work spans pop, soul, dance-pop, electro-disco, europop, hi-NRG and synth-pop.

Early career and first releases

Dean signs to Decca Records and releases pop and soul singles written and produced by Paul Curtis. Among these is her 1976 A Song for Europe entry, I Couldn't Live Without You for a Day, which finishes eighth. She also releases a promotional double A-side single for Medway in 1982. Her first album, The Sound of Bacharach and David, is a collection of Burt Bacharach and Hal David covers; it appears first as a promotional release in 1981 and later receives a commercial release in 2014.

1980s breakthrough

Dean moves towards dance music with Searchin' (I Gotta Find a Man), first released in 1983 and reissued in 1984, when it becomes a UK top ten hit. In 1984 she releases the double A-side Evergreen / Jealous Love and enters A Song for Europe again with Stay In My Life, finishing seventh. Her follow-up singles Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) and Back In My Arms (Once Again) are produced by Stock Aitken Waterman; Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) reaches number four in the UK. These tracks appear on her debut mainstream pop album, Heart First.

In 1985 she releases Harmony in Germany and signs to EMI Records. Her single They Say It's Gonna Rain reaches number one in South Africa and number 58 in the UK. Further singles follow, and in 1988 Who's Leaving Who reaches number four in the UK. Later singles include Maybe (We Should Call it a Day) and Turn It into Love, the latter also recorded by Kylie Minogue. Her second album, Always, is released in 1988 and reaches number 38 in the UK.

1990s and later work

Dean leaves EMI in the 1990s and signs to Lisson Records. There she releases Love Pains and Better Off Without You, her final UK top 75 entry. She also works as a songwriter and producer, collaborating with Ian Levine and writing or producing tracks for Bad Boys Inc, Bona Riah, Miquel Brown, MEN 2 B, Upside Down and Sandra Feva.

In 1996 she releases The Winner Takes It All, an album of ABBA covers. Further releases include a 1999 cover of Living On A Prayer and a 2001 remix of Who's Leaving Who. She continues recording and performing through the 2000s and 2010s, appearing on Disco 2008 with Trade Him for a Newer Model and issuing unreleased tracks on iTunes in 2009.

Reissues, later albums and live work

Cherry Red Records reissues Heart First in 2010, and also releases a deluxe edition of Always in 2012, alongside the greatest-hits compilation Evergreen: The Very Best of Hazell Dean. Dean signs to Energise Records in 2010 and releases updated versions of They Say It's Gonna Rain and singles from her 2013 album In the Name of..., followed by Nightlife in 2015. She releases two EPs in 2016, Evergreen/Judgement Day and Happy New Year/ The Way Old Friends Do, and later the album Re:Visited in 2017.

Dean performs at the Stock/Aitken/Waterman “Hit Factory Live” reunion concert at London’s O2 Arena in December 2012. She also receives recognition for her live performances, including election as “Best Live Performer” by the Federation of American Dance Clubs and “Best British Performer” by the Club Mirror Awards. In 2021 she announces her retirement from live performing, with final shows at Lets Rock Leeds and Wentworth Festival. She continues to release music through SP Music.