Lil Suzy
{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image =
| name = Lil Suzy
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Suzanne Casale
| alias = Little Suzy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|3|1}}
| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, United States
| death_date =
| instruments = Vocals
| genre = Freestyle, dance-pop, Eurodance
| years_active = 1987–present
| label =
}}
Suzanne Casale Melone ({{nee}} Casale; born March 1, 1979), better known by her stage name Lil Suzy, is an American freestyle/pop singer who was mainly active in the 1990s.{{cite web | url=http://www.last.fm/music/Lil+Suzy | title=Lil Suzy | publisher=Last FM | accessdate=2013-05-08}}{{cite news | url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB42207B0752DFB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | title=Dreams Coming True for Lil Suzy | work=Chicago Sun-Times | date=January 9, 1995 | accessdate=2013-05-08 | author=Busk, Celeste}} Lil Suzy is best known for the singles "Take Me in Your Arms", "Promise Me", and "Can't Get You Out of My Mind".
Early life
Melone was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City. While singing cover songs in Manhattan Beach, California at age 5, she was discovered by an agent. She then began performing as an opening act for Thelma Houston and Village People.{{cite web |url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2007/10/29/cbb-exclusive-1-6/ |title=Update: CBB Exclusive: Freestyle singer Lil' Suzy is all grown up – Moms & Babies – Moms & Babies - People.com |publisher=Celebritybabies.people.com |date=2007-10-25 |accessdate=2013-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928010935/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2007/10/29/cbb-exclusive-1-6/ |archive-date=2013-09-28 |url-status=dead }}
Music career
=1987–1994: Career beginnings, ''Love Can't Wait'', and ''Back to Dance''=
At 8 years old, Melone got her first contract with Fever Records, and in 1988 released her first single, "Randy".
At age 12 she joined the label Warlock Records. In November 1991, Melone released her first studio album, Love Can't Wait, which was produced by Tony Garcia. It was preceded by the single "Take Me in Your Arms" which peaked at No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/307261/lil-suzy/chart |title=Lil Suzy - Chart history | Billboard |website=www.billboard.com |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630204920/http://www.billboard.com/artist/307261/lil-suzy/chart |archive-date=30 June 2016 |url-status=dead}} Another single, "Falling in Love", was released in 1992. She was named Billboard magazine's Best New Dance Artist that year, making her the youngest artist ever to receive the honor.{{cite web|author=Jason Ankeny |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-suzy-mn0000226312 |title=Lil Suzy | Biography |publisher=AllMusic |date=1979-03-01 |accessdate=2013-09-29}}
In early 1994, her second album Back to Dance was released. This album was again produced by Tony Garcia. "Turn the Beat Around" was released in late 1993 as the sole single from the album but was not successful. Due to the limited success of the album, Lil Suzy left Warlock Records and went on to become president of her own record label, Empress Records.{{cite web|url=http://lilsuzysparadise.blogspot.com.br/2009/05/bio.html |title=Lil Suzy's Paradise: The Official Website of Lil Suzy: Lil Suzy's Biography |publisher=Lilsuzysparadise.blogspot.com.br |date=2009-05-14 |accessdate=2013-09-29}}
=1995–2001: ''Life Goes On'' and ''Paradise''=
In April 1995, Melone released her third album, Life Goes On, a Eurodance release. The album spawned four singles, the first being "Promise Me", which peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1997, Melone released her fourth studio album, Paradise. The album spawned four singles; Can't Get You Out of My Mind was the most successful of these releases. The album contains a collaboration with singer Crystal Waters on the track "Love Letter Lost". The album also contains a cover of the Netzwerk song, "Memories". In 1999, Melone released The MegaMix, a compilation of old hits and new remixes.
=2002–present: ''The Greatest Hits'' and later releases =
In 2002, Melone released The Greatest Hits, a compilation of her greatest hits re-recorded. In the same year, together with Collage, she released the single "Don't You Want Me", exclusively for the German market. The single is a cover of the song by The Human League.
In 2009, Melone released the single "Dance Tonight".
In 2015 and 2022 she toured in Freestyle Explosion shows.{{cite web |last1=Meighan |first1=Cate |title=Boom's Ladies of the 80's Exclusive Interview- Catching Up With Lil Suzy |website=Daily BOOM |url=http://www.dailyboom.net/2015/09/booms-ladies-of-80s-catching-up-with.html |access-date=29 January 2023 |date=September 2015}}{{cite web |author1=Geno |title=The 10 Songs I've Gotta Hear Tonight at Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam |url=https://myq105.com/listicle/the-10-songs-ive-gotta-hear-tonight-at-freestyle-explosion-throwback-jam/ |website=Q105 |access-date=29 January 2023 |date=12 August 2022 |quote="This will be my first time getting to see Lil Suzy perform."}}{{cite news |last1=Chai |first1=Daniel |title=A '90s-themed divas, drag and dance party is happening in GTA this month |url=https://dailyhive.com/toronto/90s-nostalgia-drag-dance-party-vaughan |access-date=29 January 2023 |publisher=Daily Hive |date=1 June 2022 |quote="The wild weekend kicks off with Freestyle Friday, headlined by musical artist Stevie B and featuring Lil Suzy, Cover Girls, Trinere, Joee, Rockell, and Elissa with DJ Danny D."}}
Personal life
Melone is married to Marc Melone. They have a daughter (born 2007) and two sons (born 2009 and 2012).{{cite web | url=https://people.com/parents/cbb-exclusive-1-6/ | title=Update: CBB Exclusive: Freestyle singer Lil' Suzy is all grown up }}
In her 20s, between recording and performing music, Melone attended school to become a registered medical assistant. She worked part-time for a OB/GYN for three years.
On 2 October 2000, she opened a beauty salon in Staten Island, which has since closed.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| Class = "wikitable" |
| | Year
!| Album details |
|---|
style="text-align:center;"| 1991
|
style="text-align:center;"| 1994
|
style="text-align:center;"| 1995
|
style="text-align:center;"| 1997
|
=Compilation albums=
| Class = "wikitable" |
| | Year
!| Album details |
|---|
style="text-align:center;"| 1999
|
style="text-align:center;"| 2002
|
=Singles=
| Class = "wikitable" |
| rowspan = "2" | Year
!rowspan = "2" | Single !colspan = "3" | Peak positions !rowspan = "2" | Album |
|---|
| style="width:40px;"| US Hot 100 ! style="width:40px;"| US Rhythmic ! style="width:40px;"| US Maxi-singles |
| style="text-align:center;"|1988
|"Randy" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |{{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1991
| style="text-align:center;"| 67 | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |rowspan = "2" |Love Can't Wait |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1992
|"Falling in Love" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1993
| style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1994
|"Promise Me" | style="text-align:center;"| 62 | style="text-align:center;"| 26 | style="text-align:center;"| 17 |rowspan = " 4 " | Life Goes On |
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 1995
| style="text-align:left;"| "Now & Forever" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| "When I Fall in Love"
| style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1996
|"Just Can't Get Over You" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 1997
|"Can't Get You Out of My Mind" | style="text-align:center;"| 79 | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| 14 |rowspan = "3" |Paradise |
| Memories
| style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1998
| style="text-align:center;"| 94 | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| 32 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1999
|"You're the Only One" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2002
|"Don't You Want Me" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |{{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2009
|"Dance Tonight" | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - | style="text-align:center;"| - |{{N/A|Non-album single}} |
=Video clips=
| class = " wikitable " |
| Year
!Single |
|---|
| 1991
|"Take Me in Your Arms" |
| 1993
|"Turn the Beat Around" |
| 1995
|"When I Fall in Love" |
=Other songs=
- 1996 - "Suzanna", with Collage, released on the compilation Metropolitan Freestyle Extravaganza Volume 7.
- 1997 - "Runaway", released on the compilation Dance Trip 2000.
- 1999 - "He's All I Want for Christmas / Letter to Santa", released on the compilation Freestyle X-Mas.
- 1999 - "All I Want ", with Collage, released on the album Chapter II: 1999.
- 2002 - "Treat Me Right", originally recorded in 2001, released on the compilation Euro Freestyle Invasion.
- 2003 - "I Still Cry", originally recorded in 2002, released on the compilation Euro Freestyle Invasion II.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://lilsuzysparadise.blogspot.com Lil' Suzy's Official Web Site]
- {{Twitter}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lil Suzy}}
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:American child singers
Category:American women pop singers
Category:American women singer-songwriters
Category:American freestyle musicians
Category:American musicians of Puerto Rican descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:American child pop musicians