Rozalla Miller is back on the Billboard charts

Zambian born Rozalla Miller , mostly know for her 1991 hit “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”, which has been remixed and re-issued several times , is back on the Billboard charts with her song “If You Say It Again.”  The song has peaked at number 5 on the Dance Club Songs chart and is currently at number 8.

An article in Billboard by Gordon Murray reads: “Bookending the top 10, Rozalla roars 18-10 with If You Say It Again. It’s her first Dance Club Songs top 10 in 21 years, dating to her third No. 1 I Love Music in 1994.
“Rozalla, who arrived with the 1992 No. 1 Every body’s Free (To Feel Good), tells Billboard Again, ‘I wrote it as an affirmation of love. To be honest, I was inspired by the wonderful relationship I have with my husband, but I felt so many people could relate to these lyrics. We need more positive songs about love these days!’
“Regarding her new chart rank, she adds, ‘I’m beyond thrilled to be back in the top 10: it has been a renewed dream and goal and I am so thankful to all the DJs who have been incredibly supportive of the song.
“Again, Rozalla says, ‘took on a second wind when my pals from the UK, Love to Infinity, who had worked with me on some of my previous hits, were gracious enough to want to be a part of the remix package.’ (In addition to the Love to Infinity mixes, interpretations have arrived from Ricardo Autobahn, Ranny and Stormby, among others.)
“It’s been so many years since I was in the charts, and, for me, Billboard has always been the godfather of music magazines.”

Everybodys Free (Feel good)

If you say it again 

She was born on March 18, 1964 in Zambia to a Zimbabwean father and a Zambian mother, which means she went through the experiences of the two neighbouring countries.

Just like most of her contemporaries at the time, Rozalla started her music career at a tender age after some people identified her talent and encouraged her not to turn back.

Clubs became the seedbed for her talent as she would sing and dance to entertain patrons, while at the same time managing to earn a few dollars for herself, something which her age mates could not afford to do at the time.

Since her father was Zimbabwean, ties with her father’s relatives in that country were very strong, hence the decision to relocate to Zimbabwe in the 1980s.

And she continued with her passion, music.

It didn’t take the “new kid on the block” time to adjust to her new setting and surroundings since Zambia and Zimbabwe shared a lot in common.

Soon, Rozalla was working with a number of rhythm and blues (R&B) bands, most of whom were good on playing instruments but were in need of a good female voice to complement them. Rozalla’s stint with these bands, as well as her experience way back in Zambia, saw the singer starting her solo career which spawned a number of hits that went on to top the music charts in Zimbabwe, while in Zambia and other parts of the region, her fame was spreading.

In fact, the fame went beyond the African borders, and in 1988, Rozalla again moved, this time to London where she joined the group Band of Gypsies comprising of the talented duo of Tim Cox and Nigel Swanston.

In 1990, Rozalla’s break into the UK music scene came with the single “Born to Luv Ya” which became a club hit owing probably to her previous experience as a club artiste while still in Zambia in her youth.

But the biggest break came a year later when she released the world-renowned hit song, “Everybody’s Free” which caused a stir in the UK charts before storming other European countries where it made its way into the Billboard Top 40.

It was clear that the African girl whom two countries, Zambia and Zimbabwe sired, was indeed making an impact and was here to stay.

Her album, “Everybody’s Free”, which was inspired by the success of this single, which also carried two more hit songs “Faith (In the Power of Love)” and “Are You Ready to Fly” performed well when it went silver.

The late pop music icon Michael Jackson was something of the ‘demi-god’ of music and when Rozalla’s management and Michael Jacksons camp inked a deal which saw her touring with him across Europe on his “Dangerous” tour, her status as a musician was further raised.

She also performed alongside Billy Ocean in 2009 apart from making waves with some of her hit songs, some of which became motion-picture songs.

No doubt, Africa is proud of having one of its products who made such a mark on the international platform.

(Southern times , Daily Mail)

BY KAPA187