When it comes to the history of UK Dance Music, the name ‘Gemma Fox’ is practically part of its complex DNA. Closely entwined with the rich history of this iconic sound, Gemma has been an influential trailblazer, a decorated songwriter, hailed as the first female vocalist of a genre and a regular feature of many radio station playlists throughout the last two decades.
It was in 2001 when Gemma’s career took to a supersonic path to success as she joined Middle Row Records and released ‘So Messy’ to the masses. It was quickly picked up by BBC 1Xtra, stamping it as a huge hit which went on to sell thousands of units, catapulting her into the mainstream and planting her victory flag firmly on the block where it remains flying proud to this day.
In 2002 Gemma signed to the legendary Polydor Records and secured a publishing deal with Zomba/Jive, she then embarked on the journey of putting pen to paper for her debut and much anticipated album. The album, entitled ‘Messy’, featured collaborations with artists such as J2K, Rodney P, Jim Jones, MC Lyte and Juelz Santana. Gemma travelled the globe during this time working with amazing talent, honing her sound and sculpting the album to ensure it was the perfect reflection of the message she wanting to broadcast. She recorded with The Hood Rats, Chucky Thompson, Jonny Douglas, Midi Mafia and many more, working tirelessly to create the sound she strived for.
“Girlfriend’s Story” featuring MC Lyte was the pivotal point, the first single release in the UK and one that quickly featured on the playlists of Kiss FM, Choice FM, BBC 1Xtra, Galaxy FM, MTV and many other iconic broadcast channels. With the track’s inspiration heavily immersed in the story of domestic violence, Gemma proudly accepted the position as patron of Woman’s Aid in a bid to spread awareness.
