Biography
Although Hinda Hicks entered the world in Tunisia, her upbringing unfolded in West Sussex, where the soul singer surfaced in the closing years of the 1990s among Britain’s brightest rising prospects. A strong early interest in basketball led her to qualify as a coach and secure the offer of a scholarship in the United States, yet a friend’s chance discovery of her singing along to an Aretha Franklin recording prompted an abrupt pivot toward music. Drawing influence from Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone, she first performed with the R&B group the Fabulous Fug Band, then relocated to London and became a member of the local ensemble Mixed Fruits. An introduction to producer Jazz Black soon drew interest from multiple labels, culminating in a five-album contract with Island signed in 1997. Her initial release, “I Wanna Be Your Lady,” made no chart impression, but prominent opening appearances alongside Boyzone and 911 helped propel the subsequent singles “If You Want Me” (number 25), “You Think You Own Me” (number 19), and a reissued version of the debut (number 14) into the Top 40. The accompanying album Hinda reached number 20, earning Hicks three nods at the 1998 MOBO Awards plus further nominations for Best British Female and Best British Newcomer at the 1999 Brit Awards. A fourth Top 40 entry, “Truly” (number 31), followed before she devoted the ensuing year to recording the sophomore set Everything to Me. Complications arising from Island’s merger with Universal, coupled with minimal promotional support, caused the lead single “My Remedy” to fall short of the Top 40; the album itself received only restricted distribution, and by the close of 2000 Hicks had ended her association with the label. She contributed vocals to the late Lynden David Hall’s second album Other Side as well as Terri Walker’s debut Untitled, then resurfaced in 2004 with the third album Still Doin’ My Thing on the independent R&B imprint Shout Out Records. Hicks has also taken acting roles in the British films Greenwich Mean Time and Circus, along with an uncredited appearance in the U.S. feature Love and Basketball.
Albums
