Rachel Gold (singer and stylist)

Rachel Gold
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Birth name	Rachel Michelle Gold
Also known as	Michelle Jackson, Michelle Gold
Born	(1959-12-24) 24 December 1959 London, United Kingdom
Origin	United Kingdom
Genres	Pop, Reggae, Jazz, Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, Wardrobe stylist
Instruments	Singing
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Palace Records, Dureco
Associated acts	Luv', Serge Gainsbourg, Sly & Robbie, Nik Kershaw, Grover Washington Jr.
Website	Rachel Gold official website

Rachel Michelle Gold, born on December 24th, 1959, in London, United Kingdom, is a British singer and celebrity stylist. In her singing career, she was a background vocalist for several artists, including Serge Gainsbourg, Nik Kershaw, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Luther Vandross, Harry Belafonte and Mtume. She released solo singles from the mid to late 1980s (including Lost in Love). In the summer of 1989, she joined Marga Scheide and Diana van Berlo to be part of a renewed line-up of the girl group Luv'. She scored a Dutch and Flemish Top 30 hit with this female formation, Welcome to My Party. In June 1990, she left Luv' and pursued her career in the music business until 1993. In later years, Rachel Gold has been active as a celebrity and fashion wardrobe stylist.

Early years as a backup singer

Rachel Michelle Gold is the daughter of the English-Guyanese actor Daniel Jackson, well known as one of the first black actors to gain recognition in the United Kingdom, having starred in films with Anthony Quinn and James Coburn and having appeared in the James Bond film Live and Let Die.

At age fifteen, she started singing as Michelle Jackson in local jazz clubs and music venues. In late 1979 and 1980, she went on a French tour with Serge Gainsbourg as a backup singer at age nineteen. The prolific Jamaican rhythm section, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, better known as Sly and Robbie, were part of this tour, launched in support of Gainsbourg's platinum studio album Aux armes et cætera. Michelle Jackson can be heard on Gainsbourg’s live album Enregistrement public au Théâtre Le Palace, recorded on December 26th, 27th, 28th, 1979. Moreover, Michelle Jackson performed background vocals on Jimmy Lindsay's reggae albums Where Is Your Love (1979) and Children Of Rastafari.

Moving to New York in the early 1980s, she pursued her career as a session vocalist and collaborated with R&B and soul artists Evelyn "Champagne" King, Luther Vandross, Harry Belafonte and Mtume.

In late 1985, she was a backup singer for Nik Kershaw during his televised appearance on the Royal Variety Performance.

Michelle Gold: solo singer

In 1985, under contract with the British-Dutch label Palace Records, she released as Michelle Gold the soul single Lost In Love, featuring Grover Washington Jr. on Saxophone, produced by Butch Ingram. Two other solo singles followed: Oh Suzy (1986) and Give Me The Time (1988).

Luv' (1989-1990)

In 1989, Marga Scheide trademarked Luv's name. Eight years after Luv’s first break-up, she formed a new trio with two new members: Michelle Gold and Diana van Berlo. The August 14th, 1989 edition of Holland’s most-read newspaper, De Telegraaf, announced Michelle Gold’s recruitment as a Luv’ singer.

This line-up scored a dance-pop hit, Welcome To My Party, on the charts: #22 in the Netherlands and #28 in Belgium in the autumn of 1989.

Luv's mini-album For You, supervised by the British sought-after producer Nigel Wright, known for his work with Shakatak and Mirage, was released by High Fashion Dance Music/Dureco in November 1989. This mini-CD included four tracks released as singles: the chart hit Welcome to My Party (Luv' song)| Welcome To My Party (October 1989), I Don't Wanna Be Lonely (December 1989), Girl Like Me (released only in Japan in 1990) and Hit-Medley (1990).

Luv' appeared on many TV shows in the Netherlands, Flanders and Germany and extensively toured the club circuit in Continental Europe.

In December 1989, Luv' and other Dutch pop acts (Desirée, Justian & Mandy, MC Miker G, Marjon, Nando, Oscare, Sisters) joined forces in the All Stars project to raise funds for third world children. They recorded a cover version of Starmaker (originally performed by The Kids from "Fame" in 1982) and released it as a charity single, which peaked at #57 on the Single Top 100 in Holland.

In June 1990, Michelle Gold left Luv' and was replaced by Carina Lemoine. She left the music business in 1993. Late 2018 saw her brief comeback as a singer with the jazz fusion-soul band Red Head.

Discography

Solo singles as Michelle Gold

• "You Have Taken Control" (Other End Records, 1984)
• "Lost In Love" (Palace Records, 1985)
• "Oh Suzy" (Palace Records, 1986)
• "Give Me The Time" (Palace Records, 1988)

Singles with Luv'

• Welcome To My Party (Dureco/High Fashion records, October 1989)
• "Starmaker" by The All Stars, including Luv' (Dureco/High Fashion records, December 1989)
• I Don't Wanna Be Lonely (Dureco/High Fashion records, December 1989)
• Girl Like Me (released only in Japan in by Toco/Beaver Records/Alfa International, 1990)
• Hit-Medley (Dureco/High Fashion Music (Benelux) and RCA/BMG (Germany), 1990)
• Luv' Dance-Medley (Ultrapop/Edel Music, 1993)

Mini Album with Luv' (EP)

• "For You" (Dureco/High Fashion records, November 1989)

Stylist

Reverting to her name, Rachel Gold, she later reemerged as a celebrity and fashion wardrobe Stylist. She dressed many celebrities, including Lewis Hamilton, Macklemore, Tory Lanez, Petula Clark, Joan Collins, Gordon Ramsey, and Richard Hammond. She also styled for fashion magazines Hello, Woman and Home, GQ, Grazia, Teen Vogue, Elle, The Daily Mail, YOU magazine and The Telegraph.

Rachel often guests on BBC radio, hosts masterclasses throughout the UK and is about to start a podcast.

External links

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