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| {{Infobox musical artist | {{Infobox musical artist | ||
| |name = Lisa Lee Dark | |name = Lisa Lee Dark | ||
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| ==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
| Lisa Lee Dark was born Lee Dark<ref name=boll/> in the ] area of ] on 16 April 1981.<ref> |
Lisa Lee Dark was born Lee Dark<ref name="boll">{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Daniel |date=13 September 2004 |title=Lisa-Lee album launch |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_objectid=14635278&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=lisa-lee-album-launch-name_page.html |accessdate=20 December 2008 |work=The Western Mail |publisher=walesonline.co.uk}}</ref> in the ] area of ] on 16 April 1981.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/930685638/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20Lee%20Dark%22 |title=Why I'll be twice as good as the average pop star |first=Maria |last=Williams |publisher=] |date=11 July 1999}}</ref> Her distant relatives include Italian opera singer ].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Gledhill |first=Ruth |date=2004-11-20 |title=Highs and lows |url=https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/cb108367-ef74-4009-98d1-0be841d39832/?context=1519360&federationidp=M9JDTX59593 |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=The Times}}</ref> She was born with the rare medical condition ], which leads to excessive generation of ] during the early part of foetal life.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Mark |date=2018-03-25 |title=I want people to see me as a human being first and foremost |url=https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/f27f8b6c-8462-4de4-8113-fe64193f664a/?context=1519360&federationidp=M9JDTX59593 |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=Wales on Sunday |pages=6–7}}</ref> This meant that she was raised as male because doctors failed to realise that she was biologically female, a fact even she did not discover until she was 19 years old.<ref name="boll" /><ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 – Changing Sex |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/lisaleedark.shtml |accessdate=6 August 2008}}</ref> She was very badly bullied during her school years.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Claire |date=2000-05-08 |title=Showbiz loves the girl who was a guy |url=https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/de8237e8-0971-4c55-bb3d-ef2cffcde404/?context=1519360&federationidp=M9JDTX59593 |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=The Mirror |pages=18}}</ref> She went to an all-boys comprehensive school where she would regularly get kicked, punched, spat at, and have obscene things screamed at her; even outside school, she would get the same treatment because she was slightly different and did not behave like all the other boys.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Mark |date=2018-03-24 |title=The woman who didn't realise she was female until she was 19 |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/woman-who-didnt-realise-female-14447283 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> This left her with ] and ].<ref name=":3" /> | ||
| ==Acting career== | |||
| Dark, at the age of ten, first starred in a European advert due to a case of mistaken identity.<ref>(South Wales Guardian newspaper, 8 March 2001)</ref> Her other voice-over acting work has been on low-budget European horror movies; Dark has also done voice-over work, by creating evil chants for a few Hollywood movies and the American television series '']''.<ref>(The Catholic Herald newspaper, 29 October 2004)</ref> She has to date mostly been uncredited for this work.<ref>(] newspaper, 22 January 2003)</ref> | |||
| ==Music career== | ==Music career== | ||
| At age 12 she was discovered while singing in a park in Swansea.<ref name=Doyle2000>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/752631867/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20Lee%20Dark%22 |title=Lisa-Lee's refuge in music |first=Christine |last=Doyle |date=25 April 2000 |publisher=] }}</ref> In 2000 she released a compilation CD of ten years of her recordings she called ''The Unknown Story of Lisa-Lee Dark''.<ref name=Doyle2000/> In 2004, Dark released an album entitled Breath of Life.<ref name="boll" /> As of 2009 it had sold 50,000 copies.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |title=Opera star wants to give back to charities |url=https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/134f127f-29c2-4b8f-b4aa-3a7dc4dccec1/?context=1519360&federationidp=M9JDTX59593 |url-status= |access-date=2009-09-29 |work=South Wales Evening Post |pages=16}}</ref> She has released several more since,<ref name=":0" /> including one in French.<ref name=":4" /> She had previously worked on films, backing tracks and voiceovers.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
| ===Early work=== | |||
| Dark was first heard singing in her local park by a record producer at the age of six, but due to fear and shyness she did not begin to record until the age of nine.<ref>(Messenger of Saint Anthony, October 2005)</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = God and I | url = http://www.messengersaintanthony.com/messaggero/arretrati/ottobre.asp?anno=2005|accessdate= 6 August 2008}}</ref> Originally Dark began recording classical, new age and sacred pieces of music for TV and film soundtracks; in 1992, by accident, Dark began to record dance music. Dark, who has an 8–9 octave vocal range,{{cn|date=May 2021}} had the ability to mimic other singers.<ref>(Cornish Guardian newspaper, 23 September 2004)</ref> During the 1990s, she would mimic / copy other dance hits, and these were released on the mid-priced budgeted music market, Dark also achieved minor dance hits on the dance music charts by recording remixes of hit songs and releasing them on white labels.<ref>(News of the world Sunday magazine, 12 December 2004)</ref> This brought Dark her first commercial success, as these recordings sold almost a million copies.<ref>(South Wales Evening post, 4 October 2004)</ref> | |||
| ===Solo music career=== | |||
| Dark's early live work consisted of her mimicking / copying well known singers like ], ], and ].<ref>(Now UK magazine, June 2008)</ref> | |||
| In 1998, Dark signed her first solo recording contract, valued at £5 million.<ref>(] newspaper, 24 January 2001)</ref> From 1999 to 2002, Dark released four dance albums: ''The Unknown Story of Lisa-Lee Dark'', ''MM: The Story Continues'', ''Pray (Forever)'', and ''Asia''. These albums achieved moderate success, shifting 50,000 copies; they were also released as free albums with a DJ compilation remix album. In 2002, Dark was dropped by her record label, VIP international Records, for "not losing weight".<ref>(Church of England newspaper, 19 November 2004)</ref> | |||
| In 2004, Dark released her first mainstream classical album, ''Breath of Life''.<ref name=boll>{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_objectid=14635278&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=lisa-lee-album-launch-name_page.html|title=Lisa-Lee album launch|last=Davies|first=Daniel|date=13 September 2004|work=The Western Mail |publisher=walesonline.co.uk|accessdate=20 December 2008}}</ref> This album is Dark's first attempt into the new age, ambient, classical crossover music market.<ref>(Diva magazine, January 2005)</ref> Due to problems with management and the record label, ''Breath of Life'' became a huge commercial flop despite positive reviews from critics and the public.<ref>(Music buzz magazine, November 2005)</ref> | |||
| In 2005, Dark decided to train to become an opera singer; due to a lack of money, Dark taught herself to sing opera by mimicking the well known Italian opera divas ] and ].<ref>(Gay Life magazine, January 2009)</ref> In her first opera performances, in 2007, critics said they could not tell Dark apart from Scotto.<ref>(Inside Opera magazine, December 2007)</ref> | |||
| Dark claims an 8–9 octave vocal range.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> | |||
| ===Other work=== | |||
| In 1998, Dark recorded vocals for the ] film '']''. She has also recorded vocals on several other Hollywood movie soundtracks.<ref>(The Opera magazine, October 2007)</ref> In 2007, she began her semi-professional opera career, performing in small to medium-sized venues around the UK, her debut opera performance was as Liu in ]'s opera '']''. Her second opera was the lead in Puccini's ''Sr. Angelica''.<ref>(], January 2008)</ref> In 2008, Dark signed a new £2.5 million recording deal and released her debut opera album, ''Sola, perduta, abbandonatta'', which is only available through specialist sellers and the record company's website.<ref>(], 30 July 2008)</ref> A limited edition second album, ''The Screen Behind the Mirror'', was also released in 2008, free with the debut album, to promote Dark's third opera performance: the lead in Puccini's opera '']''.<ref>(Prima magazine, October 2009)</ref> Dark's early opera voice / recordings is her mimicking the Italian opera diva ]. In 2009, Dark claimed that she was fired from playing the lead in Puccini's opera '']'' for being "too fat" and "not pretty enough".<ref>(South Wales Evening post, 29 September 2009)</ref> | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
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Latest revision as of 23:33, 13 September 2024
| Lisa Lee Dark | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lee Dark |
| Born | (1981-04-16) 16 April 1981 (age 43) |
| Origin | Swansea, Wales |
| Genres | Opera, classical crossover, Christian, new-age, dance |
| Occupation(s) | Opera singer, songwriter, voice actress |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Angel Guardian Records, VIP international Records |
| Website | Blog |
Lisa Lee Dark (born Lee Dark; 16 April 1981) is a Welsh opera singer, songwriter, and voice actress.
Early life
Lisa Lee Dark was born Lee Dark in the Clydach area of Swansea on 16 April 1981. Her distant relatives include Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. She was born with the rare medical condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which leads to excessive generation of testosterone during the early part of foetal life. This meant that she was raised as male because doctors failed to realise that she was biologically female, a fact even she did not discover until she was 19 years old. She was very badly bullied during her school years. She went to an all-boys comprehensive school where she would regularly get kicked, punched, spat at, and have obscene things screamed at her; even outside school, she would get the same treatment because she was slightly different and did not behave like all the other boys. This left her with agoraphobia and PTSD.
Music career
At age 12 she was discovered while singing in a park in Swansea. In 2000 she released a compilation CD of ten years of her recordings she called The Unknown Story of Lisa-Lee Dark. In 2004, Dark released an album entitled Breath of Life. As of 2009 it had sold 50,000 copies. She has released several more since, including one in French. She had previously worked on films, backing tracks and voiceovers.
Dark claims an 8–9 octave vocal range.
References
- ^ Davies, Daniel (13 September 2004). "Lisa-Lee album launch". The Western Mail. walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- Williams, Maria (11 July 1999). "Why I'll be twice as good as the average pop star". Wales on Sunday.
- ^ Gledhill, Ruth (20 November 2004). "Highs and lows". The Times. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ Smith, Mark (25 March 2018). "I want people to see me as a human being first and foremost". Wales on Sunday. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 – Changing Sex". Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- Collins, Claire (8 May 2000). "Showbiz loves the girl who was a guy". The Mirror. p. 18. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ Smith, Mark (24 March 2018). "The woman who didn't realise she was female until she was 19". Wales Online. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ Doyle, Christine (25 April 2000). "Lisa-Lee's refuge in music". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "Opera star wants to give back to charities". South Wales Evening Post. p. 16. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
External links
- BBC Radio 4 – Hometruths interview
- Lisa Lee Dark myspace
- Lisa Lee Dark's Twitter page
- Lisa Lee Dark's official google profile