Nu Colours

Nu Colours, widely considered among the leading R&B vocal ensembles in the UK, feature Lawrence Johnson at the helm and hold the distinction of being the inaugural signing to Wild Card, the rap and soul imprint of Polydor Records. In 1992, the act achieved modest chart traction through the releases of ‘Tears’ and ‘Power’, each securing spots in the lower half of the UK Top 75. Following the issuance of a third single titled ‘What In The World’, they attained their peak performance when ‘Power’ was reissued in 1993 and climbed to number 40. The accompanying album, however, struck the members themselves as somewhat fragmented and unpersuasive, even as their contributions as backing vocalists to M People’s Elegant Slumming underscored their vocal prowess. Unable to secure the commercial breakthrough Wild Card had envisioned, the ensemble dedicated much of 1994 and 1995 to collaborations with assorted producers and partners aimed at refining their evident skills into a unified artistic vision. This period also saw the return of founding member Priscilla Mae-Jones, bolstering the vocal strength of lead singer Fazay Simpson. The tracks developed alongside Simon Law, Ian Green, Joel Kipnes and Dinky Bingham formed the core of the group’s sophomore album, which appeared in 1996.