Forgive me for my lack of knowledge on this next artist, but I honestly do not know much about her pop past. Regardless, today at MILK CARTON POPSTARS we've chosen to highlight one of Freestyle's loudest...Denise Lopez. I vaguely remember her back when I was a kid , but it wasn't until early last year when Chicagosexbox made me a copy of his freestlye DVD video collection that I really took notice. Upon viewing the videos over and over, I instantly fell in love w/ Denise's big hair and even bigger voice! Why on earth had I not been a fan of this woman before?Let's watch the video shall we?
HOLY LOUD!!! She's up there w/ India as the loudest freestyle bitch ever! You know cause freestyle female singers only came in loud or tone deaf. It was very difficult doing research on Denise because there isn't that much info readily available. Let's take a quick look at her pre-A&M days courtesy of allmusic.com.
By the time Denise Lopez achieved success in 1988 with the dancefloor and pop-radio hit "Sayin' Sorry (Don't Make It Right)," she had already paid her dues via several earlier singles deals with TNT and RCA. Neither of those hit pay dirt, but one single ("If You Feel It") made its way onto this well-produced pop-dance set and became a semi-hit.
What little I was able to find was via this website. Denise Lopez released her debut album in 1988 on Vendetta/A&M records. It was entitled Truth In Disguise and was heavy on the dance (particularily freestyle) songs and the occasional ballad. This album has been out-of-print for quite some time and the asking price is usually $30+ for the CD.
There were three singles released from this album according to onamrecords.com. The pop/dance hit Sayin' Sorry (Don't Make It Right) peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a #6 hit on the Billboard Dance charts. Two other singles were released, If You Feel It (#94 Hot 100, #22 Dance) and Too Much Too Late (#21 Dance). The album itself peaked at #184 on the Billboard Album Charts in December of 1988.
Denise's second album was entitled Every Dog Has Her Day and was released in 1990. It did not chart...
It did however produce 1 single Don't You Wanna Be Mine which peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100...
So we ask where has Ms. Lopez been for the past 16 years? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I've searched high and low and no one seems to know the whereabouts of Denise nor what she's doing now. All I do seem to find is a Swedish singer by the same name.
EDIT:
Thanks to Justin for giving me the heads up about Denise's earlier recordings as Neecy Dee! I was able to purchase the 12" on ebay from someone who is friends w/ Charley Marrota, the producer of her 1984 dance single Best Of Me. I inquired if he knew anything about Denise's current whereabout's and he was able to offer me this tidbit:
I believe she is now married and has a child or two, living in North Jersey somewhere.Hey it's something!
16 comments:
That Swedish singer is the one Dannii Minogue wrote some songs for. How is Denise's second album?
I knew who she was, I was just being bitchy! LOL! To be honest w/ you I don't even have her second album as I've been too busy obsessing over the first one. Someone get me to a used CD store fast!
OMG!!
I love her.
LOVE HER.
Her first tape is still the best.
the second is great too, and her vocals are even sharper (the production is sharper too-- C&C did "Don't You Wanna Be Mine"--don't you think she looks kindof like Martika on that cover?).
the slow jam, Truth in Disguise, is like my theme song!i don't know where Denise is now, but i had heard she was originally discovered as a secretary in the Vendetta records offices.
and who is the HOT HOT guy in the video. he almost steals the show. almost.
you're my hero joe. isn't youtube the best?
Rob
ps-- have you found ana yet? do you know who i'm talking about?
rob...of course i know who ana is :) and yes we'll be doing her soon!
as for ms. lopez, yes she does look like martika in that pic! c&c did 'don't you wanna be mine' then? i'm sure i'll love it! as my faves, i adore 'sayin' sorry (don't make it right)', 'if you feel it' and 'tell me what it is'. youtube is the best!!!
and that hunk u speak of...that's a young carlos gomez, here's his official website. he's appeared in films like "fools rush in" and has a recurring role on "24". and i agree...he practically does steal the show!
So cool to see an entry for the "original" Ms. Lopez (and I don't mean Jenny from the Block!) I've admired her for a long time, I actually wrote reviews of her two albums for All-Music Guide! The only mention I've heard of her in recent years was about five or six years ago, a visitor to Billboard's website mentioned that she had (paraphrased) "run into a lady named Denise Lopez here in New York who said that she had a song on the Hot 100 in the 80's" !! She was asking if it was true or not. So, it appears that she's still alive and well! I wish i knew more about her whereabouts since '90 ... for it tis a shame that such a true talent would simply vanish like that. But I do know a little about her history: her first single was as "Neecy Dee" on the Profile subsidiary TNT in 1985 entitled "Best of Me." It's a cool, nifty electro-dance midtempo number somewhat influenced by Shannon's "Let the Music Play," but of course infused with Niecy's own flava! I have the 7" and 12" of this, and definitely recommend it if you're a fan of mid-80's electro-dance! Also, she had a song on the soundtrack of the 1988 film "Scrooged," which she performed with the late Dan Hartman, entitled "The Love You Save" ... and finally, she can be found singing on the 1990 Christmas album "Christmas in the City" singing "All I Want for Xmas is Your Love" (she's also on the Spanish edition of the album, called "Fiesta en Navid").
I hope she sees this blog and decides to make a comeback record just for us! (one can always dream :-)
And thanks, Joe, for the tip on Carlos Gomez's site ... I wondered who that hot thing was too!
Oh, also she made a video for "Don't You Wanna Be Mine" ... though that is one of my least favorite songs from the "Dog" album!
Justin
Hey Guys!
It's so good to hear that Denise has so many fans. Denise is doing well and currently living in Los Angeles. Since "Every Dog has her Day" she has been performing at various events. She hasn't performed any songs from her albums though.
She has no children and has never lived in NC. Denise looks great! her body is fierce! I will definitely forwarded this blog to her!
I spotted Denise Lopez about a year and a half ago on 21street in manhattan. She looked amazing and i just said softly " Denise?" and she turned around. I believe she's in a Jazz group performing no doubt for people that have no idea she's recorded. I also heard she was into fashion and jewelry. Did anyone know she sang on a record called Love Patrol by Love Patrol. This was a girl group record. Music sounds like BK Starr Pieces but they're rapping and singing a little bit.I also think she is a great artist. If you ever had the chance and the luck to see Denise live you would know she wasn't your run of the mill Freestyle singer. Not only did she sing loudly and great. She also had a knack for gripping the crowd by the nuts and controlling the whole room with her taunts. Her 1/2 hour show was filled with personality, laughter , cheering, screaming..oh and she also sang.If you caught her performing on that show Latin Connection ( does anyone remember this freestyle show) you got half the performance Denice was also raw ( NYC crowd). Live, Denise was a pisser and i say all those freestyle shows going on lack her very special touch for performing. When Denise put on a show, school was in session.
Anywhere to download "Sayin' Sorry?" What a brilliant song....
Dancinboy is right on target. Denise was in Manhattan for quite a while, and never lived in Jersey! She's still singing and looking beautiful as always.
"If You Feel It" was released on RCA (6556) Records in 1987. A new version of it is on her 1988 album on Vendetta Records.
Lopez was born in Queens, New York.
The guy in the "Sayon' Sorry" video is Carlos Gomez (www.carlosgomez.com), can be seen in the TV show "24."
and in the movies "Fools Rush In" as Salma Hayek's ex-boyfriend and "House of Sand and Fog."
This woman has an INCREDIBLE voice and RANGE !!!!!!
I hope she is well. I financed a studio session and paid to have Denise sing on a record by a well known record producer today that was up and coming at the time (I think around 92-93') . My biggest recollection of that whole project was the fact the Denise kept drinking rum while in the vocal room and I said to myself I hope she was not an alcoholic. An the sad part was at the very end of the session when we paid her (cash) and she said "now I can pay my phone bill". I found that so sad that a talent as that....having had a number one dance record and having been produced by C&C who where huge at the time... was now scraping just to pay her bills. The sad truth is also that most freestyle artist ended up in the same predicament. They made plenty of money for their record companies but had nothing to show for it after freestyle went away...
She's still going strong! The club classic "Don't you wanna be mine?" is as popular as ever!
Denise - if you're out there - re-release it!!
I was a Sr. in Highschool. Just started getting into clubbing. Lived in a small town w/ one "record" store. They used to sell the single tapes. "If you feel it" was one of my favorites. I eventually gave away all my tapes, as I started buying CD's, but Have never been able to find this song. Hopefully, I can download an extended copy of it. I've only tried once & no luck. The song was the $#!+.
Denise should have her myspace page. we will all buy music from her!
Her song with Dan hartman is "The Love you TAKE".
she was fiercely funny in her interviews!
Love her to bits. the best freestyle vocalist ever.
I love her! I have both of her albums and with just those two, she has won me over. I'm only 18 years old, and she is my absolute favorite singer.
I've also been searching for her current whereabouts, but likewise, no luck at all. I really wonder what she's up to and if she still sings or produces music. Sometimes I wish she would reply to let us all know how she's doing. =(
I hope Denise Lopez is well.
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