Debbie Deb

Deborah Claire Wesoff-Kowalski, better known as Debbie Deb (born March 10, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American singer, best known for 1980s freestyle dance songs such as "Lookout Weekend" and "When I Hear Music".[1]

Biography

Deb was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in North Miami Beach, Florida. A music aficionado from a young age, she was "discovered" at the age of 16 by producer Pretty Tony at a Miami record store where she was working. While Debbie had no formal training in singing, she had been singing most of her life. Pretty Tony told her that he liked the way she spoke and asked if she could sing, and she answered yes. They recorded "When I Hear Music," which she co-wrote with Pretty Tony in his studio the very next day. Released on the Jam Packed record label in 1984, the song has since become a staple in clubs and on dance and urban radio stations and mixshows. Other hits followed, including "Lookout Weekend", "I Wanna Work It Out", "There's A Party Going On", "I Wanna Dance," and a remake of Connie's 1980s Latin freestyle classic "Funky Little Beat". [2]

A CD called "Lookout Weekend" appeared on the market under Debbie Deb's name. It included "When I Hear Music", "Lookout Weekend", "I'm Searchin'" and "Fantasy". "I'm Searchin'" went on to become a club and radio hit, but features another vocalist on the lead, recording that song and "Fantasy" as "Debbie Deb". The cover of the CD featured a drawing of "Debbie", however, Deb was overweight and suffered from low self-esteem, and found her sudden fame difficult to cope with. She was crushed when her record company decided not to put her picture on the sleeves of her records and, in a Milli Vanilli-esque move, even hired an "impostor" to perform and pose as "Debbie Deb" as Debbie later admitted that because she was a teenager could not perform the songs in clubs that cater to 18 and up only. As a result, she made little, if any, money from her hit singles, and was so hurt by the experience that she stopped singing for years, relying on her work as a hairdresser to make ends meet.[3]

Deb finally resurfaced on the recording scene in 1995 with the album She's Back. Now living near Philadelphia, she continues to work as a hair stylist and also keeps busy performing frequent concerts around the United States, especially "freestyle revival" shows with other artists like Lisa Lisa, Stevie B, Exposé, The Cover Girls, and Shannon. Gwen Stefani and Jonathan Davis of Korn have cited Deb as an influence, and in the summer of 2006, Janet Jackson featured a cover version of "Lookout Weekend" on her Web site.

In 2009, Debbie debuted a new single, "Everytime You Come Around," on her Myspace page (on which she bills herself as "The Real Debbie Deb").

In 2015 Debbie rerecorded a new version of "Lookout Weekend" with electro-house artist Reid Stefan.

Discography

Year Album details
1987 Lookout Weekend
  • Released: 1987
  • Label:
1995 She's Back
  • Released: November 21, 1995[4]
  • Label: Pandisc Records
1997 Lookout Weekend Compilations
  • Released: July 22, 1997[4]
  • Label: Jam Packed, Hot Productions

Singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
USA dance sales[5] US R&B[6]
1983 "When I Hear Music" Single
1984 "Lookout Weekend" 26
1987 "I'm Searchin'" 8 72
"Fantasy"
1988 "Wild Thing (Holds Me Tight)"
1995 "There's a Party Goin 'On" She's Back
1996 "Funky Little Beat"
1997 "Lookout Weekend / When I Hear Music" Lookout Weekend
2009 "Everytime You Come Around" Single
2015 "Lookout Weekend" (Reid Stefan & Debbie Deb) Single

Sampled

Cover versions

References

  1. Debbie Deb – Lookout Weekend | Freestyle Miami Bass. Cold Crush. Retrieved on December 25, 2013.
  2. Debbie Deb – Lookout Weekend | Freestyle Miami Bass. Cold Crush. Retrieved on December 25, 2013.
  3. Inoue, Todd (July 6, 2006) Weekend Warrior Metroactive.com Retrieved on 06-06-07
  4. 1 2 Debbie Deb Discography. Discogs.com. Retrieved on December 25, 2013.
  5. Debbie Deb | Awards. AllMusic. Retrieved on December 25, 2013.
  6. Lookout Weekend – Debbie Deb | Awards. AllMusic. Retrieved on December 25, 2013.

External links

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