Kiki Dee

Kiki Dee

Kiki Dee, born Pauline Matthews in 1947 in Little Horton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, is a singer and songwriter whose career spans more than four decades. Her work covers soul and pop, with a voice that is also associated with soft rock and Motown. She begins performing in local bands in Bradford in the early 1960s before moving into session work.

Early career and Motown

She starts out as a backing and session singer, and sings backing vocals for Dusty Springfield among others. In the United States she gains recognition for her style and becomes the first British artist signed to Tamla Motown, releasing her first Tamla single in 1970. In the period before BBC Radio 1, she is also a regular performer of other artists’ songs on BBC radio and appears with a group of session singers in the BBC2 singalong series One More Time.

Breakthrough and major recordings

Although she is respected by other singers, solo success in the UK comes slowly. Her first major hits are Amoureuse in 1973 and I Got the Music in Me in 1974. She becomes best known for her duet with Elton John, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, released in 1976 and reaching number one. She later records Star in 1981 and True Love with Elton John in 1994.

Work with other artists and live appearances

Kiki Dee records with other musicians including Dave Stewart and guitarist Carmelo Luggeri. She also performs at Live Aid, where she repeats Don’t Go Breaking My Heart with Elton John and sings backing vocals on the other songs in his set. Her collaborations are also reflected in her later associated acts, including The Kiki Dee Band, The Crowd, and Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri.

Theatre, television, and legacy

She appears in musical theatre, notably playing the lead role in the West End production of Blood Brothers, a part originally played by Barbara Dickson in the 1988 production and recording. She also makes occasional television appearances, including on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Across the 1970s and 1980s, she is regularly voted among the top UK female singers, and her repertoire ranges from rock songs to ballads. Her recorded output includes 39 singles, three EPs, nine LPs, and two CDs.