Anita Baker Singer Date of Birth: 20.12.1957 Country: USA

1. Biography of Anita Baker
2. Early Career and Breakthrough
3. Success with "Rapture"
4. Later Career and Comeback

Biography of Anita Baker

Anita Baker, an American singer, was born on December 20, 1957. Growing up as the granddaughter of a priest, she was introduced to church music at a young age and began singing gospel in a church choir by the age of ten. As a teenager, Baker performed in various amateur Detroit groups until she joined the professional group Chapter 8 in 1979. In 1980, their song "I Just Wanna Be Your Girl" featuring Baker's solo vocals made it to the American charts.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Despite the initial success with Chapter 8, the group's prospects were not great, leading Baker to leave in 1982. She found work as a secretary in a construction company but continued pursuing music. In 1983, Baker convinced the management of Beverly Glen Records to listen to her demo tape. Impressed by her songs, the record company released her debut album. Baker's soulful sound turned out to be unexpectedly high-quality, catching the attention of the major label Elektra, who signed her immediately.

Success with "Rapture"

For her second album, Baker took on the role of producer herself, partially financing its release. Most of the songs were written by Michael Powell, her former colleague from Chapter 8. The resulting album, "Rapture," achieved tremendous success. Journalists compared Baker to Luther Vandross in a female form, and several tracks from the album, including "Sweet Love," "Caught Up In The Rapture," and "Giving You The Best That I Got," made it onto the Rhythm & Blues charts.

Later Career and Comeback

In 1987, Baker collaborated on the single "Ain't No Need To Worry" with the group Winans. In 1990, she embarked on a series of concerts with former Shalamar vocalist Howard Hewett. Her album released in 1990 was recorded "live" with several studio overdubs, featuring renowned musicians from bands like Average White Band and Wonderlove. During this time, Elektra reissued Baker's debut album in 1991.

After a prolonged hiatus due to vocal cord issues, Baker underwent multiple surgeries and made a full recovery by 1994. She released her highly acclaimed album "Rhythm Of Love," which received rave reviews from the global music press.