Stephen Emmanuel is a UK garage/dance music producer and songwriter, best known for the hits "What U Do" and "Coochy Coo", both of which feature singer Eska.

Stephen Emmanuel
Also known asColours
OriginUnited Kingdom
GenresUK garage, house, pop
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, record producer
Years active1998–present
LabelsInferno, Ice Cream Records, VC Recordings

Career edit

Emmanuel, credited as 'Colours', released the 1998 single "What U Do" featuring British singer Eska, which reached No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart[1] and No. 1 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.[2] In 2000, the single "Coochy Coo", also featuring Eska, peaked at No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart[3] and No. 17 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.[4]

The SE22 Mix of Emmanuel's 1998 garage track "Hold On" was sampled by Craig David and Tinchy Stryder in 2008 on the song "Where's Your Love", as well as on the 10° Below Dub Mix of Kele Le Roc's "My Love".[5] Capital XTRA included "Hold On (SE22 Mix)" in their list of "The Best Old-School Garage Anthems of All Time".[6] It was also included in NME's "25 essential UK garage anthems" list in September 2019. Why the track is on the list, Fred Garratt-Stanley wrote: "Rising strings, mashed-up keyboard sequences and irresistibly tempting background claps make for an enticing introduction to this classic, before June Hamm's vocals rise above the noise to ask 'Where is your love?'. It's a question no garage fan should need to be asked twice of this track."[7]

As a producer/songwriter, Emmanuel has written and/or produced songs for other artists such as Daniel Bedingfield ("He Don't Love You Like I Love You" / "I Can't Read You" - UK No. 6), Another Level, S Club 7, S.O.A.P., and Precious.

References edit

  1. ^ "COLOURS FEATURING EMMANUEL & ESKA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  2. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  3. ^ "EN-CORE/ESKA/STEPHEN EMMANUEL | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  4. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  5. ^ "Hold on (SE22 Mix) by Colours - Samples, Covers and Remixes". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  6. ^ "The Best Old-School Garage Anthems Of All Time". Capital XTRA.
  7. ^ Garratt-Stanley, Fred (16 September 2019). "The best UK garage tracks of all time". NME. Retrieved 6 February 2020.