Zeeteah Massiah

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Zeeteah Massiah

| image = Zeeteah Massiah singing in London.jpg

| caption = Massiah in 2013

| birth_name = Zeeteah Silveta Massiah

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|12|24}}

| birth_place = Saint John, Barbados

| occupation = Singer

| spouse = Paul Caplin

| years_active = 1980–present

| website = {{URL|zeeteah.com}}

| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes

| background = solo_singer

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = Reggae, Jazz, House

| label = {{Flat list|

Union City
Virgin
Swing City
Creative Control

}}

| past_member_of = Arizona

}}

Zeeteah Silveta Massiah (born December 24, 1956) is a Barbadian-born British singer particularly associated with reggae, jazz and house music.

In a wide-ranging career she has recorded and/or toured with artists including Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Sting and Leo Sayer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/518366-Zeeteah-Massiah|title=Zeeteah Massiah|website=Discogs.com|access-date=24 June 2021}} She is best known in the United States as the lead vocalist on the 1993 Billboard No.1 dance hit Slide on the Rhythm.

Massiah was born in Saint John, Barbados and grew up in London. In 2001 she moved to Germany, and in 2012 returned to England, where she now lives.

Biography

Born in Barbados, Zeeteah moved to London with her parents when she was five years old. Her first name was originally spelled Zeitia. As a teenager she recorded a cover of The Jackson 5's We Got A Good Thing Going in a reggae style for RG Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6644507-Zeita-Massiah-We-Got-A-Good-Thing-Going|title=Discogs page on We Got A Good Thing Going}} She went on to record two more reggae tracks for the label.

In 1984, Massiah appeared for nine months as Chiffon in the hit musical Little Shop of Horrors in London.Somerville, Matthew. [https://theatricalia.com/play/5hw/little-shop-of-horrors/production/ncw "Little Shop of Horrors"], Theatricalia.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022

She has been an additional vocalist for artists including Barry Manilow and Boy George, and toured with Climie Fisher and Paul Weller. In 1988, she sang with Kim Wilde on the European leg of Michael Jackson's BAD tour and, in 1994/95, toured the world with Tom Jones.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=211}} She has also toured extensively with Eikichi Yazawa{{Cite web|url=https://ameblo.jp/muramatsu/entry-10779819287.html|title=EY style Eikichi Yazawa concert tour 2003|website=Ameblo.jp|access-date=24 June 2021}} and Johnny Hallyday,{{Cite web|url=http://www.tenues-johnny.fr/set_92/setlists-tournee-92.html|title=Tenues de scene de Johnny Hallyday|website=Tenues-johnny.fr|access-date=24 June 2021}} among the most successful rock stars in Japan and France respectively.

In 1993, Massiah was the lead vocalist on the Arizona track "Slide on the Rhythm", later remixed by C&C Music Factory, which was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Dance Chart in the US. She went on to record "I Specialise in Love" with Arizona, which was a UK chart hit.Roberts, David. Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Ltd 17th edition (2004), p. 356. {{ISBN|0-85112-199-3}}

On the back of her success with Arizona, Massiah signed a deal with Virgin Records, and released two singles: "Sexual Prime", which was a UK club hit, and "This Is The Place", which charted on the UK Singles Chart. In 1996 she was a UK finalist in the Eurovision Song Contest with "A Little Love".

In 2001, Massiah moved to Cologne, Germany, where she worked with a wide range of musicians, and recorded the single "Lovely Deep". During this time she spent nine months as featured singer in the hit show Fantissima, and spent three months touring Japan with Eikichi Yazawa.

In 2012, she returned to London to be with her partner Paul Caplin, and the two were married in 2016. Massiah performs regularly in London, playing songs composed by Caplin as well as her own interpretations of musical classics. She has released two albums produced by Caplin: Juice (2014), an album of original songs,{{Cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Juice/release/6016662 |title=Zeeteah Massiah - Juice (CD, Album) at Discogs |website=Discogs |access-date=25 August 2014 |archive-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019123200/https://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Juice/release/6016662 |url-status=dead }} and Maybe Tomorrow (2016), a collection of classics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Zeeteah-Massiah-Maybe-Tomorrow/release/8528348|title=Zeeteah Massiah – Maybe Tomorrow (2016, CD)|access-date=24 June 2021|website=Discogs.com}} The duo also released the single "All You" on 13 July 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/fifthelement/view/178106/|title=Caplin & Massiah release their defiant anti-trump anthem ahead of his UK visit...|website=Pressparty.com|access-date=24 June 2021}} under the name Caplin & Massiah. On 18 November 2022 Massiah released "Wat A Ting", an album of reggae and dancehall music.

In 2024 Massiah and Caplin launched Caplin & Massiah, a new musical project.{{Cite web|url=https://rgm.press/we-review-the-new-single-from-caplin-massiah/review/review-review/|title=RVM Magazine article|access-date=21 October 2024}} Their first single was released in October 2024 and they are currently working on an album.{{Cite web|url=https://caplinmassiah.com|title=Wonderland Magazine article|access-date=21 October 2024}}

Discography

=Singles=

1980 "We Got A Good Thing Going"
1980 "A Love Like Yours"
1981 "I'm Still Waiting"
1991 "(Homegirl) Sing The Blues"
1992 "Feel My Love"
1993 "Slide on the Rhythm" – Arizona feat. Zeitia
1994 "This Is The Place"
1994 "Keep It Up" – Sharada House Gang feat. Zeitia Massiah
1994 "I Specialize in Love" – Arizona feat. Zeitia
1996 "Sweet Love" – With It Guys feat. Zeitia
1996 "Sexual Prime"
1997 "You Got It" – Fargetta feat. Zeitia Massiah (five tracks on album)
1997 "Beat of Green" – Fargetta feat. Zeitia Massiah
1998 "Wishing on a Star" – Curtis & Moore presenting Zeitia Massiah (remixed by Mousse T)
1998 "Wishing on a Star Part 2" – Curtis & Moore presenting Zeitia Massiah
1998 "Baby Come Back" – North on 41 feat. Zeitia Massiah
1998 "You Came" – North on 41 feat. Zeitia Massiah
2005 "Lovely Deep"
2014 "Whatever This Is"
2022 "Wat A Ting"