Chantal Condor - Chantal Condor (1986) & Chantal (1989) DOUBLE POST!!

Happy new year, everyone!! So, I went out last week and bought a bunch of records that I wanted to feature on the blog. One was the self-titled album from Chantal and I was going to rip it, but I got a message the next day on another website from Toby, who offered me the MP3's of both that album and her first. What a coincidence, non? Anyway, thanks to Toby I can now offer you Chantal Condor's two pop albums in great quality! Thanks Toby!! Chantal was born in Alexandria, Egypt, but moved to Canada at five years of age and was raised in Montreal. Her first major step into the music world was as part of the disco duo Voggue with Angela Songui. They had a pretty big disco hit with "Dancin' The Night Away" in 1981, and released two albums and several more singles until they broke up in 1983. Chantal reemerged in 1985 with her first solo single on Columbia Records, "Hands Up", a remake of French Canadian duo Ottawan's 1981 disco hit. While the single wasn't a hit, it was notable enough to get her an album deal with the label. ("Hands Up" did become an even bigger hit in Canada two years later, when it was recorded by reggae/soul trio Sway.) Her first self-titled dance-pop album was released the following year. It was produced by Chantal and Vito Luprano, who would go on to work with Celine Dion. She released two singles: "Marinero", a remake of the italo-disco hit by Italian singer and actress Milva, and "Nightmare". Neither song got much of a reaction, but the label kept Chantal on. (The album also includes her version of  fellow Isle postee Nicole's huge dance hit from the same year, "Don't You Want My Love".) It took Chantal four years, but she finally released her second album, dropping her last name and going by simply 'Chantal'. It was produced by British musician Peter Wood, and had an even poppier edge. Her look and sound were very similar to fellow Canadian and Isle postee Candi, who released her debut a year earlier. The first single, "A Little Lovin'", was a minor Canadian hit, and the video was in rotation on Muchmusic, as was the video for the follow up, "Angel In Your Eyes". The album also included remakes of the La Toya Jackson single "Imagination" from 1986 and the Menudo single "You've Got Potential" from 1988, which was also recorded the same year as Chantal by Isle postee Hiroko. The album failed to hit, and it seems the label dropped her. Chantal reemerged briefly as part of the French Canadian quartet Collage in 1991, who had a Canadian dance hit with "Hasta La Vista", but after the song hit she left the group and they re-released their album as a trio, with a different cover. This seemed the end of Chantal's career in popular music. However, in 2005, Chantal reappeared on the scene using her real name, Chantal Chamandy, working a very different look and sound. She released the Arabic flavoured track "You Want Me" on her own label, Ninemuse Entertainment. The song was then remixed by many hot remixers including Mark Anthony and Brian Rawling, and it became a worldwide dance hit. Her look and sound were almost unrecognizable as the Chantal from the 80s. She had matured as an artist and embraced her Egyptian, Greek and Lebanese heritage, incorporating it into her sound. Her voice was also vastly improved. She also proved a smart businesswoman, as she released her next single, "Feels Like Love", across Canada for $1 in Dollarama stores to great sales, and financed her own successful promotional campaign. Her album Love Needs You was released in 2006. She made international news in 2007 when, on September 7, she was the first artist ever permitted to perform at the foot of the Sphinx in Egypt (yes, before Kylie!). The event was filmed and shown on PBS in the US, entitled Beladi: A Night At The Pyramids. Chantal has kept busy since performing and recording, and will hopefully release new material soon. After achieving her greatest success sixteen years after everyone counted her out, Chantal is proof that you should never underestimate any 'deserted' pop star.

Download Chantal Condor

1		I Wasn't Good Enough
2		Tonight You're Mine
3		I Can't Stop Loving You
4		Second Hand Lover
5		Take The Days
6		Nightmare
7		Don't You Want My Love
8		You're Driving Me Insane
9		Under The Cover Of Night
10		Marinero

Video for Angel In Your Eyes

Download Chantal

1		A Little Lovin'
2		Angel In Your Eyes
3		Can't Dance Forever
4		Let Me Be The One
5		Sometimes Love Can Heal A Broken Heart
6		Imagination
7		You've Got Potential
8		Some Kind Of Magic
9		Ready Or Not?
10		Bells