Unique II
{{Short description|Austrian Eurodance project}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Unique II
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| landscape =
| genre = Eurodance
| years_active = 1991–present
(Hiatus: 1997–2000)
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = Sheila Fernandez
Christian Troy
| past_members = Sandy Cooper
Def Tone
Jade Davies
B-Nice
Phoebe Caren
}}
Unique II (previously Unique 2) is a Eurodance project from Austria. They are best known for their 1996 dance cover of Matthew Wilder's "Break My Stride", which reached No. 1 in Austria and New Zealand, and No. 2 in Australia.{{cite web |url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Unique+II&titel=Break+My+Stride&cat=s |title=Unique II – Break My Stride (Song) |work=australian-charts.com |accessdate=4 February 2013}}
History
Unique II was founded in 1992 by Austrian music producers Erwin Geppner and Werner Freistätter. Together with singer Sandy Cooper and rapper Def Tone they developed the first single, "Iko Iko", which reached No. 8 in Austria.{{cite web |url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Unique+2&titel=Iko+Iko&cat=s |title=Unique 2 – Iko Iko (Song) |work=austriancharts.at |accessdate=4 February 2013}} Their debut album Internity reached No. 25 in Austria.{{cite web |url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Unique+2&titel=Internity&cat=a |title=Unique 2 – Internity (Song) |work=austriancharts.at |accessdate=4 February 2013}} A short time later, Sandy Cooper and Def Tone left the group and were replaced by singer Jade Davies and rapper B-Nice. In 1996, Unique II produced their version of Matthew Wilder's classic "Break My Stride". This became the group's biggest success, reaching number 1 in Austria and New Zealand, and No. 2 in Australia. Later that year they released their second album Level II, which reached No. 17 in Austria.{{cite web |url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Unique+2&titel=Level+II&cat=a |title=Unique 2 – Level II (Album) |work=austriancharts.at |accessdate=4 February 2013}} Other hits from this album included "Loveline", "Do What You Please" and "I Still Go On", which peaked at No. 2, No. 6 and No. 12, respectively, in Austria. In the late 1990s, Jade Davies left Unique II to begin a solo career. She was replaced by Dutch singer Phoebe Caren. In 1997, B-Nice left the group for a solo career. The group went on a hiatus until 2000 when they released the album Forever, which reached No. 28 in Austria and the eponymous single featuring Filipino singer Sheila Fernandez, which reached No. 8. In the early 2000s, English-born rapper Christian Troy joined the group, and Sheila Fernandez became the new singer. In 2003, they released a Best Of album, featuring remixes of "Break My Stride" and "Loveline". Unique II has become the most successful dance-pop band in Austria, and have received numerous awards, both nationally and worldwide.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUT {{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Unique+II|title=Discographie Unique II|website=austriancharts.at|language=de|access-date=2 September 2022}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Internity
| 1993 | 25 |
| scope="row"| Level II
| 1996 | 17 |
| scope="row"| Forever – The Album {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez)}} | 2000 | 28 |
=Compilation albums=
- Best of Unique II – The Golden Experience (2002)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUT ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| EUR ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NZ |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Iko Iko"
| 1992 | 8 || — || — || — | | rowspan="3"| Internity |
| scope="row"| "Loveline"
| rowspan="2"| 1993 | 2 || — || 46 || — | |
| scope="row"| "Changes"
| — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Free"
| 1995 | — || — || — || — | | rowspan="6"| Level II |
| scope="row"| "Break My Stride"
| rowspan="3"| 1996 | 1 || 2 || 33 || 1 | |
| scope="row"| "Do What You Please"
| 6 || 55 || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "For Tonight"
| — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Dance All Night"
| rowspan="2"| 1997 | 32 || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "I Still Go On"
| 12 || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Around Me"
| 1998 | — || — || — || — | | rowspan="4"| Forever – The Album |
| scope="row"| "Forever" {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez)}} | rowspan="2"| 2000 | 8 || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "The Way I Need to Go" {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez)}} | 35 || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Take Me Higher" {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez)}} | rowspan="3"| 2001 | 43 || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Colours" {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez)}} | 32 || — || — || — | | rowspan="4"| Best of Unique II – The Golden Experience |
| scope="row"| "2 Be as 1" {{small|(vs. Sheila Fernandez and Christian Troy)}} | — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "The Return of Loveline"
| rowspan="2"| 2002 | — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Break My Stride" (Re-Work 2002)
| — || — || — || — | |
References
{{Reflist}}
Links
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/61386-Unique-II Unique II] on Discogs
{{Authority control}}